Love & Chaos Knows No Bounderies
by Erin Nightshade
Summary: COMPLETED! CHAPTER 27 IS UP! READ AND REVIEW!
1. And Here We Go

Chapter One

** And here we go...**

_It's weird how some stories are about some costume hero going out every night to safe his or her city. How awesome it would sound if you could meet your hero and then the next day tell your closest friends about it. How you stood out in the rain so you could catch a glimpse of them after they just saved your life. You're living in a fantasy realm if you think that's the most amazing thing ever. _

_In Gotham, life is not so amazing. Unless you're wealthy. Gotham is full of criminals, insane psychopaths and mobs. I'd really like to think myself as a luck person for living in such a city. Maybe I am lucky and just don't know it. My story is not for the faint of heart, literally. Most stories about someone dying, falling in love, starting a family, blah, blah, blah. This is not about that. _

_This is about what happened two years ago. The details are a little blurry but I'll try my best to remember. I know they brought in D.A. Lawyer, Harvey Dent. Good looking, blond haired, blue eyed, Harvey Dent. But that's not what they called him down at GCPD (Gotham City Police Department). Batman has been our savior for over a half a year. Nobody trusts a giant winged bat to save our city. I think I'm the only one who really does. Gordon and his men were working on a case about several bank break in's. A man dressed as a clown has been killing people left and right. Nobody could get their hands on this guy._

_ I remember on night I walked all the way to one of the convince stores for a couple of chocolate bars and a Pepsi. It was pretty late. Just as I was paying the cashier, they came in. Guys with clown masks. I didn't know if they had followed me or if it was just a coincidence. Then he came in, as casually as walking into a coffee shop. The cashier looked as though he had been wounded. I stayed right where I was.Their leader came in and gave the signal to wait outside.  
_

_The clown looked tall but he hunched when he walked. He wore different shades of purples and greens. His hair was filthy green with dark brown patches here and there. His face was smeared with white, there were scars cut into either side of his cheeks. Black circles smeared around his eyes, making the real color of his eyes dark and mysterious. His cheeks and lips were smeared with red, like a garish grin, even though he held no expression what so ever. He walked about the small store, licking his lips with his tongue every so often. He kept one hand in his coat pocket. The other hang loosely at his side. _

_His footsteps lightly echoed on the dirty linoleum floor. He made "uh huh" sounds every once in a while. He would reach out and pick up a candy bar and just look at it. I found this odd. What was he playing at? I watched in sheer fear. I was nervous. I had heard this guy would be easy going one moment and then become horribly violent the next. He finally made his way to the cash register. He had stuffed a couple of candy bars in his coat pocket. That's when he took his hand out of his pocket. He was holding a switch blade. _

_As he passed me, he gave one small glance but nothing more. He approached the counter and just leaned on it. He tilted his head as though he were about to ask about the weather or something.  
_

_"Y-you-n-ne-need-t-ttt- to p-p-pay-f-i-r-st", the cashier stuttered in fear. _

_The clown rolled his eyes and took hold of the back of the cashier's neck, pulling the guy forward so they were just nose to nose.  
_

_"Here's what you're gonna do", the clown replied and then paused to lick the side of his cheek, "We're going to play a little game. It's called the ten second game. Do you know how I got these scars?" _

_I didn't know what he was talking about but the cashier looked like he was going to shit his pants. The clown stared at the clock behind him and counted under his breath. I watched in horror as he slit the guys cheeks on either side. He let the cashier go and the cashier fell back onto the floor behind the counter.  
_

_"Look at that beautiful smile", the clown muttered with no remorse or anything, he then turned to me just a casually as he had walked in, "Ya know what they say, what doesn't kill you simply makes you stranger". _

_I just nodded as though I understood but he must of smelled my fear because he got really close to me and walked around me once and then stood in front of me a second time. I stood my ground and didn't do anything that would give him a reason to hurt me. But he had no reasons for doing anything. He licked his top lip and looked at me like he was examining a piece of art work at a museum. _

_"Why is it that women cut themselves up, get transplants, hair treatments, and other things so they don't look like you? I believe in simplicity. That's why I use a knife. You get to know a lot about a person in their last hours when they're laying there beginning you to spare their lives", He replies. _

_He was comparing me to a super model. Me. Plain Jane me. Me with my dark red hair, my blue eyes and my baggy clothes. Sure I have a nice figure but I like my jeans, black sweat shirt, pony tail and dirt covered converse sneakers. I was waiting for him to come at me with his knife and cut me up. But he just merely stood there. _

_"You must have voted for that D.A. Lawyer. But you don't look like the kind of person who has time to listen to such plan making. See, I'm not a planner. I just do things. Dent, Gordon, the Batman, they're planners. I believe in chaos and they believe in order. But where would order be if they didn't have chaos. Did you know life is one big joke? It really is", The clown replied squinting his eyes as he talked, "And I want everyone to know how meaningless their lives really are", he also gestured with his hands a lot. _

_I still didn't understand and maybe I never would. But as long as he understood the big joke, that was fine with me. Most people didn't like to explain a joke because then it would be ruined and it wouldn't be a joke anymore. He put his knife away and held out his hand to me. He gestured with his fingers for me to take his hand. His face lay on expression. His voice had held no warmth and yet no bitterness. He had no morals, no limits, nothing. I set my bag on the counter and did the one thing I knew would keep me alive. I took his hand. _

_"Welcome to my chaos", He muttered, barley speaking but enough for me to hear. _

_We stepped out into the cold air. The chill that ran down my spine that night, ran down my spine many nights afterwords. I was never part of any of his ideas. I was never there when bad things happened. Maybe I should of told someone but course, you can't trust many people in Gotham. The last night I saw him was the night Rachel Dawes died. He told me about his plan involving Dent and that he was relieving me. After that, I couldn't bare to face anyone. The pain was too great. Poor Harvey. Harvey was scarred for life.Literally . One half of his face is burned and scarred. _

_Like I said, that all happened two years ago. Harvey fell to his death and the clown, now known as the Joker is in Arkham. I cut my hair and changed my clothing. I put out applications for jobs. I sobered my memories by forgetting them. I've even tried to forget about him. _

_I wonder if life would've been the same if I hadn't been at the convient store that night? Or would I still feel horrible because I'm the sort of person who feels for others? I don't know who am I anymore. I've always been in the background. Now I'm working as a nurse in a child's hospital wing. Although, it is a great job and I love the kids. There is so much to tell about myself. My parents are both dead. My mother died after giving birth to me. My father died in a car accident when I was thirteen. I had no friends when I was in school. A group of kids would follow me home every day and throw rocks at me until I was bleeding so bad I'd have to go to the hospital. _

_I went to college for two years and then quit because I didn't feel good about myself. I've lived in the same apartment since I was sixteen. I'm twenty eight years old if you want to know how old I am. I had to sell my parents house because living there made me depressed and bitter. Since living on my own, I've come to like myself again. _

_Batman keeps Gotham safe from criminals and other such people. Commissioner Jim Gordon once said "Batman is the hero Gotham Deserves but not the one it needs right now". Gotham doesn't deserve Batman. Batman protects us. He's are silent guardian. But we treat him like a criminal. Maybe I feel hatered towards the people in this city for treating Batman like crap. He is the hero we deserve and we do need him, right now. If there was no order, there's no chaos. But one part of me wants to see the order burn in flames. Let chaos run loose. _

_"Some men just want to watch the world burn". _

_That what he wanted. To watch everyone in Gotham do. Run around with their heads cut off. He doesn't plan, scheme or do anything. He just shows everyone how pathetic their lives really are. Maybe the clown wasn't so crazy after all. He just seemed crazy because nobody understood him. I still don't. I try not to think about him. He's in my past. And that's where I want him. _

_I'm sorry to say I haven't properly introduced myself. My name is Erin Knightly. I'm a lone spirit. I've got nothing to give or gain. I've got nothing to hide and nothing to keep hidden. My life changed the very night the Joker walked into that corner store. My whole life changed because I got the munchies. Things happen for a reason. There are no plans. You can't plan what you're going to do. I was hungry, so I got up and went out. It was fate. If you want to call it that. _

_Chaos or not, I'm not sure if fate delt me a hand or not. Maybe I'm not really sure if fate had taken a chance or not. Unbiased, unpredictable and fair. A coin didn't decide my fate, I did. Whether I like or not, I can't stop to wait for something to happen. I must go with the flow. I'm not a planner, schemer or anything. I'm just a citizen. I'm just me. Plain Jane me. _

_Over all, "What doesn't kill you simply makes you stranger". _

**Author's Note: I hope this is much better than my other ten stories I've written. I'm doing this because I'm crazy and can't wait for the next Batman movie. That and I love writting Batman fanfiction. I hope you like this and I will keep writing if you want me to. I won't update consently but I will update as soon as I can. Read and let the reviews roll in. **


	2. Laughter Is The Best Medicine

Chapter Two

** Laughter Is The Best Medicine **

**Today is a winding road that's taking me to places that I didn't want to go**

I didn't.

**Today in the blink of an eye I'm holding on to something and I do not know why I tried**

Why am I still holding on?

**I tried to read between the lines  
I tried to look in your eyes**

I didn't want to look in his eyes but I did...

**I want a simple explanation  
For what I'm feeling inside**

WHY! I don't know...

**I gotta find a way out  
Maybe there's a way out**

There is no way out...

**Your voice was the soundtrack of my summer  
Do you know you're unlike any other?**

He is like no one I've ever met...

**You'll always be my thunder, and I said  
Your eyes are the brightest of all the colors**

His eyes are so mysterious...

**I don't wanna ever love another  
You'll always be my thunder**

I didn't know I felt this way...

**So bring on the rain  
And bring on the thunder**

Bring it on.

- -

Erin flicked off her car radio. She sighed deeply. It was exactly after five thirty in the morning. She had worked a double in the children's ward. She didn't what she'd do without those kids. They were wonderful and always upped her spirits. Finally, the light at the intersection turned green. As she drove back to her apartment, Erin's thoughts were clouded. She couldn't stop the dreams, the images or the sound of _his _voice. Two years. It had been two years. And yet...she couldn't forget the one thing he used to tell her, "Laughter is always the best medicine".

Erin parked in her space out front of her apartment building. Actually, her _new_ apartment was above the coffee shop on Fourth Ave. She had been evicted from her old one about two weeks ago. In her opinion, she was pretty sure her new land lord was a member of one of the mob families in Gotham but she didn't ask. Her apartment was small but much better looking. The walls were tan, she had one couch, a small TV, a small kitchen area, a bathroom and a bedroom. She hadn't needed to sell any of her belongings because the fact was...all she had were clothes. Nothing fancy or expensive.

After locking her door, Erin went into her bedroom. She undressed and got into a t-shirt. She took out her pony tail and went into the small bathroom off her bed room. She set her hair tie in her box of cosmetics. She owned make up. Dark red lip sticks. Dark eye shadows. Blushes. Blood red nail polish. She didn't own any jewelry. She had a black head band and a couple of hair ties. She didn't like her hair up but it was important while working at the Hospital. Her only outfit was her hospital uniform. Her closest was full of long extra large t-shirts, baggy black and blue jeans, a short black skirt, a long pleaded gray skirt, extra large black hooded sweat shirt, an extra large green hooded sweat shirt, black baggy overalls and two large long gray and black long sleeve shirts.

She didn't have much in the way of shoes, just her black non-heeled work shoes and her dirt covered converse. Her dresser consisted of black bras, underwear and socks. Her bed was two mattresses sitting on the floor. Her make shift bed lavender sheets and a giant green comforter. The comforter had a gold and red diamond pattern. Erin came out of the bathroom. She had brushed her teeth. She ignored her clock and climbed into bed.

She never really slept after getting home. When she did or could sleep, it wasn't peaceful. She thought about that painted smeared face. As she stared at the blank ceiling, there was a knock on the door. Erin sat up and grabbed a pair of jeans. The knocking continued.

"Coming", She muttered zipping her jeans.

Erin opened her apartment door. She knew it wasn't a good idea, in this day and age but she didn't have a blunt object to grab, for just in case. Her land lord was standing in her door way. Holding a white sheet of paper.

"I'm sorry Ms. Knightly but here's your eviction notice", He replied handing her the piece of paper.

"I'm never late with my rent, I've only been here two weeks. I'm quiet", Erin replied.

"You're a very nice girl but the price of my business is going up. And I don't want you to fall behind on your rent. You have until the end of the week. I'm really sorry", He said and then left.

Erin shut the door and stared down at her eviction notice.

_"Laughter is the best medicine". _

Erin forced a grin onto her face. She tore the eviction notice in half and then into more. She carried the little pieces of paper over the kitchen trash can and threw them away. Still wearing her forced creepy grin, she went into her bed room and dug out the box she kept from the last move. She kept out an outfit she'd wear later, she even kept out her nurses uniform and then of course packed everything else.

Erin sat down on her bed, still wearing her grin. Maybe laughter was the best medicine. In fact she decided she liked smiling. But she hated smiling at people. Erin then let go of her crazy expression, her face hurt from forcing her lips together. What was wrong with her? Erin didn't know but she finally decided taking a good two hours sleep would help her think much clearly. Hours after sleeping, she checked her watch. It was past eleven. Erin groaned and got dressed. She packed away the t-shirt and jeans she'd been wearing.

She dressed in her black overalls and long gray sleeved shirt. Leaving her hair down, she put on her socks and converse. Everything packed into one box because she decided to leave the sheets and comforter and everything else. All she needed were her clothes and her bathroom things. She even took an extra roll of toilet paper. She put the box, along with her nurses uniform in the back of her car. She went into the coffee shop and gave her landlord's wife the key and thanked them for letting her live there.

Erin got into her car and drove away. She put on her special "smile" and decided to go somewhere to cool off. She stopped at the one place she knew where to cool off. The hospital lobby. Erin went in after using the parking garage. Erin sat down and picked up a news paper. She started looking through the FOR RENT page. Nothing. As usual. One of the nurses saw her and came over.

"Hiya Erin, whatcha doin'?" She asked

The nurse had a new york accent and teenage attitude even though they were the same age. The nurse had light brown hair but held her hair in two short pony tails. Her name was Harleen "Harley" Kingsley

"Looking through the want ads. I was evicted this morning", Erin replied.

"Bummer. Look, I gotta run but I'll have coffee with ya when I get on break", Harley said and went on her way.

"Laughter is the best medicine", Erin muttered over and over again as grinned to herself.

_A slow decent into chaos..._

**Author's Note: Hope you like this chapter. Sorry if it seems short. I did this on short notice. Now I know what you are thinking but Harley Quinn is not in this story, I just wanted Erin's best friend to act like Harley. Read and Review! **


	3. A Bat In My Belfry

Chapter Three

** A Bat In My Belfry  
**

Erin sat in her seat with her elbows propped up and she stared into her coffee. The coffee made ripples every time she breathed onto it. Harley sat opposite her, giving her lectures on dieting, finding a good boy friend, etc, etc.

"Are you even listenin' to me?" Harley asked.

Erin smiled sadly, "Personally, not really. I just have _things _on my mind", she shrugged while emphazing _things. _

"Well, after you got off work. I heard one of the doctors say Mr. Wayne is comin' by to visit the children's wing", Harley replied, snapping her gum like she was in high school or something.

Erin just sat back and crossed her arms. She was in charge of the children's wing. Which meant, as of right now, she was back on duty. But it didn't really matter. She was better off here then out on the street.

"Want to walk out to my car with me?" Erin asked.

"Sure. I could use the exorcise", Harley said in a chipper voice.

Erin just rolled her eyes. As annoying as her best friend was, she loved her like a twin sister. As they approached her car, a black four door sports car entered the parking garage. Erin and Harley watched as the car parked one space over. Erin wrenched open her back seat door and grabbed her nurses uniform. The doors of the black car opened and four men stepped out. Security detail and a tall, handsome man with dark brown hair, nicely trimmed.

"Oh my god, do you know who that is?" Harley asked grasping Erin's shoulder.

"No, I don't. Let's go", Erin replied.

As they and the four men approached the elevator, the young man with the brown hair stepped aside.

"Ladies first", he replied smiling.

Harley smiled and began giggling like a school girl. Erin, however, gave him a court nod and nothing else. Who did he think he was? Casanova? Erin found herself strangely, hating the elevator stopped at the lobby floor, Erin turned to Harley.

"I'm going to change, tell Dr. Swanson I'll be down to the children's wing in a few minutes", Erin said.

"Okay", Harley responded in a casual manner.

When Erin disappeared into the woman's restroom, the young man turned to Harley.

"Excuse me but is she in charge of the Children's wing?" He asked.

"Yepperz..I mean..why yes she is. She's the best nurse in that ward. The kids absolutely love her. And your name is..?" Harley asked.

"Bruce Wayne", He replied shaking her hand.

Harley tilted her head and smiled, "Well, Mr. Wayne, the children's ward is upstairs and to the left. Ms. Knightly will be right with you".

Bruce nodded. He and his security detail followed Harley's directions.

"Ms. Knightly? Am I really that lucky?", Bruce thought to himself.

After leaving her change of clothes in her locker, Erin clocked in and went up to the children's ward. The three security men were standing outside the door way. Erin sighed and took a deep breath. Erin went into the room, the children weren't in this room today, they were in another room down the hall. Bruce turned around.

"He's that guy from the parking garage", Erin thought to herself.

Bruce smiled, "You must be Ms. Knightly".

"Erin Knightly. And how can I help you?" Erin asked as politely as possible.

"I'm Bruce Wayne. I came to donate some money to the Cancer fond", Bruce replied.

Erin gave him a small smile. Nothing too toothy or too flirtatious. She was finding herself thinking of the Joker as she stared at Bruce. Erin wondered when the torment was going to stop.

"Are you okay?" Bruce asked touching her shoulder lightly.

Erin shook his hand off, "I'm fine".

She didn't want him touching her. It wasn't his fingers she wanted touching her shoulder lightly. Erin wanted to turn tail and run but she just stood there until she remembered why Bruce was actually there.

"The nurse at the front desk has the jar for the Cancer fond. But I thank you for donating. These children thank you too. Anything else I can help you with?" Erin asked kindly this time.

"How about dinner? Say...tonight?" Bruce asked.

Erin was taken aback by this. He was asking her out? Why would he ask her out? Of all the beautiful nurses here at the hospital? He had to ask her. Bruce just stood there with his hands in his pockets. He wasn't leaving until she answered.

"Sure", Erin muttered.

Sure? Yes? Why not? Damn. Erin just smiled as he passed her.

"I'll pick you up here around seven?" Bruce asked.

"Sounds great", Erin said nodding.

After he and his security detail left, Erin went to find Harley. She found her putting clean sheets in an empty hospital room. Harley looked up as Erin came in. Erin shut the door and turned back to her friend, Harley raised a think eyebrow.

"Are you going to have a seizure?" Harley asked.

"No. But I might as well. Bruce Wayne asked me out to dinner. Tonight. He's picking me up here, tonight", Erin replied.

Harley let out a shriek of happiness and hugged her. Erin found this rather annoying. Harley noticed how uncomfortable she looked and let go.

"Sorry. But oh my god. Bruce Wayne asked you out. Aren't you happy? Joyous? Anything?" Harley asked.

"He's not my type", Erin muttered.

"And who is your type? The psychopath they locked up in Arkham a few years back? Bruce Wayne is Gotham's richest millionaire. He's good looking, smart, charming. He seems to like you. He even asked about you. He really seemed interested", Harley said crossing her arms across her chest.

Erin sat down on the half made bed. She stared at the floor. Her face reflected off the mop job the floor had gotten. She might as well give him a chance. Who knows? Maybe this will give her a chance to start over, to live freely again. She thought she saw her reflection smile back at her. Erin looked up at Harley.

"Fine. I'll go out with him. But I can't promise you anything", Erin replied.

Harley hugged her again but this time Erin hugged her back.

- -

6:55 pm.

Erin had nothing glamorous to wear. She put on her black pleaded skirt, her black work shoes, black nylons, a black long sleeved shirt and her black button sweater from her nurses locker. She left her hair down and put her black head band in her hair. She applied a light red lipstick.

7:00 pm

He wasn't here. This had to have been a joke. HA! A joke. Erin had a sense of humor, she laughed to herself as she sat in the lobby. Harley came over, carrying a clipboard.

"Ain't here?" Harley asked.

"Nope. It's a big joke. One big fat joke and guess what? The joke is on me", Erin replied smiling sarcastically and pointing to herself.

Just then the elevator opened. Instead of nicely dressed Bruce Wayne, Batman stood there, holding no emotion what so ever.

"Wayne sent the Batman to pick you up", Harley said squealing and punching Erin's shoulder.

From the news Erin had heard, Batman was an outcast to the Gotham's citizens and police force. What on earth could the Bat want with her?

"Are you Erin Knightly?" Batman asked.

"Yes", Erin said standing up.

"I need you to come with me", Batman replied.

Erin nodded and followed him. Upon reaching the parking garage. Batman grabbed hold of her and pushed her against the wall.

"Where is he?" Batman asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about", Erin said feeling a little threatened.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. Now, where is he?" Batman asked.

"I don't - ", but Erin was cut off. Batman punched her in the face, knocking her down.

"Joker escaped Arkham last night and I know you were with him two years ago. I'm going to ask you again, where is he?" Batman shouted.

"That's impossible", Erin muttered holding her face, letting tears sting her eyes for the first time in months.

Batman stood over her. He wasn't getting anywhere with her. Erin sat up and watched as he turned and began walking away. Erin felt her face. She raised her hand to eye level, blood stained her fingers. He had hit her. Erin began to shake. Erin didn't dare go back to the main floor looking like this. She really didn't want to explain any of this to anyone, especially Harley.

_"How did he know? How could he of known? How could Joker escape from Arkham? It's just so impossible". _

Erin finally blacked out from the pain. The pain in her face seem to melt away and her body seemed lighter and seemed to hurt...the blood felt warm around her mouth. Someone would discover her soon.

"I need some ice...", Erin moaned as her eyes began to open.

Her sight blurred at first. She closed her eyes again. A hand softly touched down the side of her face. It felt nice. Erin opened her eyes again. Someone was kneeling near her.

"I need some ice for my face", She said softly.

"Ssshhh. Everything is going to be just fine", the softness became cold and mad, "He did this to you didn't he?"

"Yes", Erin breathed, answering the sound.

But...wait!

Erin opened her eyes. His eyes met hers. The garish smile grinned crudely at her, even though his lips were held tigtly. He knelt so close to her that their faces were just inches apart. His hand was brushing her hair away from her face.

"Welcome back", the Joker replied in a deathly calm whisper.

_"At that moment, I knew, there was nothing I could do. This was real. But how? How did Batman know? How did the Joker find me so easily? Those thoughts swirled in my head. But my head became numb. A chill crept down my spine as it had two years ago. And all I could do was stare back into his eyes". _

**Author's Note: Sorry for the delay. Read and Review! **


	4. Welcome Back

Chapter Four

**Welcome Back **

Erin opened her eyes. His eyes met hers. The garish smile grinned crudely at her, even though his lips were held tightly. He knelt so close to her that their faces were just inches apart. His hand was brushing her hair away from her face.

"Welcome back", the Joker replied in a deathly calm whisper.

_At that moment, I knew, there was nothing I could do. This was real. But how? How did Batman know? How did the Joker find me so easily? Those thoughts swirled in my head. But my head became numb. A chill crept down my spine as it had two years ago. And all I could do was stare back into his eyes. _

"Please...", Erin begged as he touched her.

"Sshh. I'm not going to hurt you", He said.

He held no expression. No reassurance. All she could do was wait to see if he was going to help her or not. He stood up, standing over her. His form some how hunched, towering like a clownish shadow. He held out his hand to her. Just as before, giving her an option, to take his hand or suffer humanity's consequences. Erin took his hand, just as before. He helped her to her feet.

"I need some ice", Erin muttered again after a few seconds.

She wasn't looking for his sympathy, she wasn't looking for him to care whether she was hurt or not. What mattered was the fact that Batman had punched her. Joker was looking for revenge against the bat, the bat had put him away and now the bat had punched her to a pulp. This would give Joker good reason for revenge. But Joker had no reason to do anything. He just did things. He wasn't a planner or a schemer. He was chaos at it's best.

They got into the elevator and went up to the lobby floor. Erin could barely stand, she felt dizzy and the motion of the elevator wasn't helping very much. When the elevator stopped and the doors opened, there were men in clown masks standing around the lobby. There were people laying on the floor. Erin couldn't think straight, the pain in her face was numbing. All she could do was look at the Joker. He licked his lips and smacked them together. He was surveying the situation.

"Boss, the bat ain't here", one of the men replied.

"I know he's not", Joker exclaimed in an all knowing tone.

Joker counted each of the people who were laying on the floor, he then pointed to one of them.

"Bring her to me", Joker replied.

Two of the clowns picked up one of the nurses, they brought her over and made her stand in front of the Joker. Erin's eyes widened. It was Harley. Erin looked from Joker to Harley. Harley looked like someone had smacked her in the face. Joker ran his tongue along his upper lip and pulled out a switch blade from the inside of his jacket.

"Are you friends with this woman?" Joker asked Harley.

Harley looked at him and then at Erin. Harley's jaw dropped when she saw Erin's black and blue face.

"Yes", Harley said in less than a quiver.

"And did you by any chance let her go down to the parking garage by herself?" Joker asked gesturing each event with his knife.

"Batman wanted her to go with him. I thought it was important", Harley replied.

Joker tilted his head, his eyes rolled towards Erin and then back at Harley. He tilted his head in the other direction. His left arm hung loosely at his side. His right hand was holding the knife, he held it out just in front of him, like it was a ruler or a pointer for a demonstration. He turned his whole body sideways.

"So, you, the friend of this defenseless, beautiful woman, let her go down to the parking garage with the Batman? Are you aware of the consequences of your actions?" Joker asked as though they were in court.

He walked up to Harley and put the knife against her cheek. Erin wanted to yell for him to stop but she couldn't, she couldn't let him know she was afraid. Let him know that she had gone soft in his absence. Had he done this to her? Had he made her this cold? This weak?

"Do you know how I got these scars?" Joker asked Harley.

"N..n..no", Harley muttered.

But that's all she muttered. Erin couldn't see what he was doing but a moment later, Harley's body fell to the floor. Joker put his knife back inside his coat. Erin turned away, putting her hand over her mouth. She felt him staring at her. His eyes buring into her head. Erin turned to look at him. Joker walked up to her.

"Now, let's see about that ice", He said taking her hand, not waiting for her response.

_I feel terrible. Harley was my best friend. How could I let this happen? He made me this way. He made me think, feel and do. I did nothing. I felt nothing. I thought nothing. Now I feel terrible for not doing anything. Maybe he wants it that way. He wants me to be this way, like I was before. I was nothing before. Nothing to him anyway. Beautiful and defenseless, that's how he described me. _

Erin held the bag of ice against her face. She had found a bag of ice in the freezer in the nurses lounge. The Joker lounged against the wall, his arms crossed. He watched her apply the ice to her face.

"Do you have a car?" He asked.

"Yes", Erin muttered.

He said nothing else as she followed back down to the lobby. His men had hightailed it out of there. Erin didn't blame them. She and the Joker took the elevator back down to the parking garage. Joker held out his hand and snapped his fingers. Erin dug into her pocket book and fished out her car keys. She handed him her keys as they got into the car. Erin sat in the passenger seat, before Joker started the car, he reached over and grabbed the bag of ice from her. He opened the car door, tossed the bag of ice into the parking garage and closed the door. Erin just buckled herself as he started the car.

As they sped through Gotham, the street lights hit the car like giant flash lights. Erin stared out the window. Other cars swerved this way and that, getting out of their way. Joker laughed as he stepped onto the gas peddle, every time he did, the car went faster and faster. He kept his hands firmly on the steering wheel.

"I like this car", Joker replied as he swerved to the left and then back over to the right before a truck almost hit them, "I really like this car".

He took hold of the shift and pushed it towards the top of the panel. The car pushed forward, even more so. Erin tried to act as though she was fine with this, in fact she was not. She had never driven with him and she was beyond scared. A truck pulled out in front of them, making them stop.

"Come on, come on", Joker seethed under his breath.

The truck roared and then drove off. Joker stepped on the gas peddle and steered the car down another street. People screamed as they tore down the road. Erin had no idea where they were going and wondered why he was in such a hurry.

_I was never so scared in my entire life. He drove like a maniac. Of course, he was psychopathic. Insane. I kept looking over at him, every so often. He hadn't looked at me since we left the hospital. He talked under his breath mostly. He laughed mostly. For some reason I wanted him to look at me. I wanted him to say something to me. I was just along for the ride. I had no where to go. I had no where to be. My job, life and anything else were over. I had no life really. My job and my best friend were gone. I was sucked back into his chaos. Like a flick of a switch. _

The car stopped, finally. Joker turned off the car and placed the keys into his pocket. Erin had been too busy looking forward. She looked around for a second. They were at a warehouse, somewhere near the docks. Joker got out of the car, Erin followed him. She decided to leave her belongings in the car. She wouldn't need them. The side of the warehouse had a giant clowns face on it. Either an old toy factory or a party factory. She couldn't tell. She followed him inside. His men were just sitting around, shooting the breeze. Erin and Joker just walked passed them. She followed him towards the back.

A small room, which looked like it was used as a storage room at one point. A chair, small bed and a few blankets. The room was bare, mold growing in the corners of the ceiling, it was cold, not much heat. Erin turned to the Joker, he was loosening his tie a little. He slipped off his gloves and placed them in his coat pocket. He took off his purple coat and put it on the back of the chair. There was nothing behind the make up, she didn't know who he was or who he used to be. Joker approached Erin and put his hands on either side of her head. Letting his bare fingers touch her hair. She didn't know what his intentions were or if he was intending to do anything. He pressed his mouth against hers, letting his painted red lips graze hers, letting her warmth entire him. He then let go and let his hands drop to his sides.

"You'd better get some rest", Joker said and he left the room.

Erin was taken aback by his actions. She slipped off her shoes and laid down on the bed. Taking one of the blankets from it's pile. The blankets were no warmer than the room was. Erin got up and took his jacket from the back of the chair. She placed the coat over her and then the blanket. His coat was much warm. For some reason, she liked his smell. Whatever his smell was. She was still a little rattled about Batman, Harley and Joker's actions towards her. He'd never kissed her before, never looked as though he had thought such things about her, he never even attempted to even touch her. His own actions seemed to have confused and even shock himself. Sleep sounded great. Erin let her eyes fall by themselves, as she slipped off to sleep, she couldn't help but notice his presence outside the door.

**Author's Note: Hi, sorry for the delay. Hope I don't disappoint. Read and Review ! **


	5. A Clown's Decision

Chapter Five

**A Clown's Decision**

He watched her for a few minutes, maybe more than that.

He could still smell her scent on his fingers, her fragrance on his lips and her breath on his skin. She was just a lonely soul among thousands, doomed to walk this planet alone. But she was no longer alone; he wasn't going to let her walk among those thousands...alone. Joker felt a stab of anger towards the Bat, how could that masked freak do this to her? Wasn't the bat the city's silent protector against chaos? Joker wasn't used to feeling this way. About anyone. He just wanted to make people see what a joke their lives were. But now his _ace _had fallen back into his deck.

His ace in the hole.

He had driven her into insanity once, he could do it again. Before, she was too weak, too weak to see the joke of it all. This time, he was prepared to do what it took to get her to understand. It had been fate that had led him to find her. She had been in that store that night he had gotten the munchies. He was craving some chaos, why not kill randomly? He excelled at random. He didn't have a reason. But when he saw her, an idea had formed in his head: _Her. She's the one. The one I need. _He hadn't gone looking for her, the mere fact she was there, was a coincidence. He didn't know who she was. All he knew was her real name. Nothing else.

Joker put his hand into his vest pocket. He pulled out a small gun. Now, he liked using knives on people. He liked using a method of "slow killing". You get to really know a person in their last moments, they show their true colors, they show who they really are. But his decision to use this gun was for personal reasons. Nobody understood him; nobody understood what was going on upstairs, so to speak. He was the only one who understood his own thinking. He alone, understood himself. Joker pushed the door shut with his foot, letting it close with an "oomph". He didn't want her to wake up. Let her sleep.

Nobody understood why he had picked her. Nobody knew who she was. Her hair, her eyes, body, mind, they were a mystery to everyone, except him. Her emotions, moods, eye movements, thoughts, he knew each and every one of them. But she was still a mystery to him; in the sense of she wouldn't let him get physically attached to her. His thirst for her was uncanny. He wanted her like a vampire wanted blood. He walked back down the hallway and into the main part of the building. He cleared his throat to get his goons attention. Each of them turned their heads.

"It a...looks like there is only room for one member", Joker smiled now, "So, you'll have a few minutes to decided who it's gonna be. Good luck to all of you".

Joker put the small gun down and kicked it across the floor, it slid into the middle of the room. He slipped his hands into his pants pockets, smacking his lips together as each of the men jumped onto the floor for the gun. As they did, they pulled out their own guns. Gun shots flew back and forth, the floor became blood splattered and after several minutes, bodies began hitting the floor as well. The little gun sat untouched in the middle of the floor. Joker casually walked across the room to retrieve it. He stopped in front of it. He looked around at the dead bodies, each one belonging to his clown goons. Joker casually picked up the small gun. He aimed the gun at the tiled floor and pulled the trigger. Nothing.

"Guns don't kill people, guns just make messes", Joker muttered slipping the small gun back into his vest pocket.

He turned on his heel and walked back down the hallway. He went to the very back and pulled out some oil cans. He carried four small containers out to the front room and poured oil all over. He hummed and smacked his lips together as he did this. Joker returned to where Erin was sleeping. He threw open the door and made it slam against the wall. Erin sat up as the door collided with the wall. Before she could ask or say anything, he was pulling her to her feet. Erin grabbed her shoes as he ushered her out the door. Joker took his coat from her and slipped it on all the while pushing her towards the entrance.

"Be careful, it's a little slippery", He warned and even gave a snicker of excitement.

They slipped and slid out the front door and outside. Erin slipped her shoes on, Joker pushed her towards her car. He waved his hands frantically, looking excited and very crazy. He slipped a hand on the left side of his jacket and found some matches. He took one out and lit it. He tossed it inside the warehouse. He lit a second one and threw it inside as well.

"Run!" He cried while laughing crazily.

Erin turned to run to the car as the place went up into flames. The explosion sent both flying onto the pavement. The car was a light as well. Joker opened his eyes seconds later, he was holding onto something, he shook his head, tossing his hair away from his face. Erin was beside him, he was clutching her shoulders. He looked up, they were twenty or so feet away from the warehouse. The car was also on fire. Joker ran his tongue along the outside of his mouth, while thinking. He shook Erin a second later. She came too almost immediately. Her face was ashen faced and still bruised. Even more bruised then before.

"What happened?" She asked in almost half awake response.

"A clown's decision is never as clear as anyone can predict. But I made a decision. I could only have one member be on my team", Joker replied staring upward towards the sky.

"You killed them", Erin muttered quietly.

"Yes. Yes I did. But I killed them for you", He admitted, looking at her fully for the first time.

Erin sat up on her hands to look at him. She was confused and he knew she would be. Why kill anyone for her? He had no idea why he had done it. It was just in the moment. It was just part of the "big picture".

"This town deserves a better class of criminal and I'm going to give it to them", Joker said in an undertone.

He sat up and crossed his legs. He turned away from her. He took out his leather dark purple gloves and put them back on. He heard her move beside him. Maybe stretching, he couldn't tell. He took out his switch blade and played with it, letting his fingers run along it. Letting his reflection reflect off it. He closed it and put it away. He then stood up, straitening his jacket and vest. He half turned towards Erin. He held out his hand to her and helped her up.

It was just the two of them now. He wanted it this way. He didn't know why but he felt it was more fun, more personal. More...interesting. He did everything without a reason, he just did things. He was like a dog chasing a car. He didn't know what to do with one if he caught it. It was time to show Gotham what he was truly made of. Time to show them what a real joke truly was. He felt it was his duty, his right and his destiny. He had to fight the Batman. Whatever it took. He had to do it. Nobody else could do it. He had to. Batman completed him. He, the Joker, was chaos. And Batman, Batman was order and justice. They went hand and hand.

Joker looked sideways at Erin, she was the only person he could take into his confidentiality, she was his trump card. He could not let Batman hurt her again. He would not stand for it. Those two years sitting in Arkham, he had laughed and talked to himself. Slowly drowning himself into insanity. The medicine the Doctors had given him, they did nothing for him. No needle could quiet him. Then he had escaped. Nobody knew how he had broken out. Nobody had ever done it before. And he was going to keep that all to himself. It was his own private joke.

He continued to stare at her. She was much more than a useful tool. She was more than just a lonely soul. She was one of a kind. Every man's dream girl. The kind that is mysterious but is very beautiful while in a crowd. But as of the moment, she looked like she had been beaten and then thrown out of a car. Her clothes looked second hand and were dirty. They had walked for a while. Maybe ten or fifteen minutes. Reality,or his own reality, came to back to him, Erin was still standing in the same spot as she had been for at least ten seconds. She had kept her mouth shut and didn't complain. But she looked rather peaked and distressed. Joker walked over to her and looked her in the face. Her lips quivered but no sound came out. He turned his back on her and bent down.

"Hop on", He said casually.

Erin didn't hesitate and lifted herself onto his back. He stood up and put his hands under each of her legs. This would look a little awkward to passers by but since it was late and no one was around, it was less embarrassing. Erin's arms hung limply over his shoulders and her legs dangled limply under his arms. Her shoes had fallen off but they weren't important enough to stop and pick up and she could have cared less about them. They managed to make it a mile or so from the docks. There was a small alley way that looked unoccupied. Joker slipped Erin off his back and set her down on an old mattress someone had left there. She fell asleep as soon as she had hit it.

He walked about for five or so minutes taking in their surroundings. He'd have to wake her in about an hour, it wasn't safe to stay in the same place for too long. To keep moving and to keep the bat on his toes, was the most important part of their plan. Joker found a newspaper. Maybe from a few days ago.

**ESCAPED AND DANGEROUS. **And there it was, a picture of him. On the front page of the paper. He flipped through the paper. Nothing exciting. He went back to the front page again. After awhile, he crushed the paper into a ball and tossed it into a nearby garbage can. Joker went back to where Erin was asleep. He sat down beside her. Sitting with his arms wrapped around his legs.

"It's a funny world we live in", He muttered to himself and smacking his lips as he said this.

**Author's Note: I couldn't stand it. I had to update. I hope you are enjoying this. I'm trying my best. Thank you to those who have reviewed so far. R & R! **


	6. Make Me Your Harlequin

Chapter Six

**Make Me Your Harlequin **

Erin awoke minutes after feeling herself slip from his shoulders. She lay awake staring up at the sky. Her mind rushing and she thought about the last twenty-four hours. Twenty-four hours ago, she was worrying about a place to stay. Now, she was worrying about being sent to prison or worse, the Asylum. She heard him come back and she shut her eyes. She didn't want to him to know that she was awake. She felt him sit beside her. She heard him say, _"It's a funny world we live in". _She couldn't help but answer him.

"It is a funny world we live in. Especially sense you're the only one who sees it that way. I guess more people should look at it the way you do", She replied.

Erin heard him shift. He said nothing. She wasn't sure he was even speaking to her in general. If one speaks, shouldn't the second answer? She didn't know why she had answered him, she just did. Although she felt exhausted, Erin sat herself up. She had lived on her own since she could remember. She was tough, pain or no pain. It just scared her that after two years, she wanted to face him, wanted to speak to him. Those two years, she wanted him out of her head. But now...now all she wanted to do was to be near him. It was funny, kind of.

"Why me?" Erin asked.

"Why me?" Joker replied in a mockish tone, laughing under his breath and shacking his head.

Erin sighed and pushed herself up on her knees. Letting her hand gently touch his shoulder. He didn't flinch, pull away, he didn't look at her, he did nothing but stare straight ahead.

"You couldn't have sat in that god awful Asylum for two years and think about me. You couldn't have just thought "oh maybe I'll look up that red head I ran into once I escape". You couldn't have been thinking about any of that. You're not like that. You do things. You're not a planner, schemer or anything. You're like a dog chasing cars. You wouldn't know what do with it if you caught it. Now, why me? I'm that car you caught and I'd like to know what you plan do it with me", Erin replied.

She was desperet for his response. She wanted him to look at her. She wasn't stupid enough to smack him or do anything violent. It was driving her crazy that she spent the better part of two years thinking about him when she wanted to forget about him. Here she was trying to get a straight answer out of him. She might as well have been speaking to a brick wall. He turned to her after two or so minutes.

"Do you know what a harlequin is?" He asked, his lips parted slightly. His eyes staring at her.

"A clown or a jester, I think", Erin answered trying to think about it.

Why was he asking her such a question? It didn't matter now. She wasn't getting anywhere with him. Still in his sitting posistion, he reached up and pushed away a strained of hair that had fallen into her face. He twirled the ringlet of hair between his thumb and index finger. Erin kept still, letting him play with the dark red hair. Suddenly, head lights errupted from the other end of the street. Joker stood up quickly. He stepped out into the street. Batman stepped out of his car.

"Now there's a Batman", Joker muttered.

Erin didn't know what had come over her. She felt the pain in her face boil, the pain that Batman had given her, made her hurt in more ways then she ever felt. Erin jumped to her feet as though she been electricuted.

"NO!" She screamed.

She ran towards the Joker and through her arms about his waist. He was uneffected by her act and grabbed hold of her wrists. He tore her from him and pushed her aside. Erin caught herself and managed not to fall down. She found herself twisting with rage, she ran passed Joker and at Batman. So what if he hit her again?

"LEAVE HIM ALONE".

She went to punch him but he caught her wrist and threw her to the ground. He wasn't in the mood to fight her. As she got back up, he kicked her to the ground.

"If you're smart enough, you'll stay out of it, like you should have last time", Batman replied gruffly.

Erin bared her teeth in anguish, she wrapped one arm about her stomach and got back up. Batman hadn't expected her to do this. Batman went to hit her again but Joker came up behind him with a crowbar he'd found in an empty trash can. He smacked Batman in the back. The bat fell to his knees. He seethed in pain. He looked up in time to see Erin swing a right hook into his jaw. The bat fell over, cluthing his mouth. His jaw was bloody. So was her hand.

"That, that was for punching me", She muttered darkly.

"Let's go", Joker replied throwing the crow bar aside.

Erin and Joker turned tail as fast as they could. Joker hadn't planned for the Bat to surprise them like this and fighting him was a big job. Joker said nothing to Erin as they found themselves in the narrows of Gotham. A downtown of dreeriness and crorupt crime.

"Your crazy", Joker said, he looked at her with interest, "I like that".

Erin just smiled at his admiration of her. She liked his approval. His approval? Since when did she care what he thought of her? Erin felt a wave of nausa sweep her. She hadn't eaten yet and she just bloodied Batman's jaw. No wonder she was in a weak state. The sky above was a barley a pinkish hue. It was just barely morning. Erin turned to him as they walked the narrows of Gotham.

"I want to ask you something", Erin replie quietly.

Joker waved his hand dramatically for her to go on.

"I want to you to make me your Harlequin", Erin said.

Joker stopped as she said this. His mind seemed to be else where. He didn't look at her right away. He tilted his head, massanged his jaw and placed his hands in his coat pockets. He lightly bit his bottom lip and then looked at her. He took a deck of cards from his left coat pocket. He shuffled the cards and then put them out in front of her.

"Go ahead. Let fate deal you your hand", He said in a dramatic tone.

Erin sighed and then held her breath. She nervously lifted her hand up and took a card from the deck. Joker put the rest of the cards back into his pocket. His pockets were mysterious and held many tricks. Erin then looked at him for instructions.

"What did _we _get?" He asked.

Erin held up the card for him to see. She hadn't even seen it. She saw him smile, something she had never really seen him do. It was an emotion he held back. It was an emotion he rarely used.

"Flip it over", Joker whispered in her ear.

Erin held her eyes shut and flipped over the card in her hand. She pressed her lips together and then opened her eyes.

It was a black ace. The ace of hearts.

_When I saw what card I got. I knew I was his FOREVER. _

**Author's Note: YA! Another chapter. Sorry for the short fight scene. Read and Review! **


	7. Now And Then

Chapter Seven

**Now And Then **

(A/N: Sorry for the mix up. The Ace of Hearts is red not black. This chapter deals with what happened in the past and what is going on presently. The past will be written in Italics so there is no confusion. Thank you.)

_It was one of those nights. One of the nights you had to work late. Commissioner Gordon had been in his office, working a double. Paper work was much more frustrating then going after a convicted criminal. Gordon decided it wasn't worth his time to be sitting at his desk. It was almost past nine o'clock and he still had a few more hours to go before he was able to go home to his family. Coffee, that's what he needed. He let one of his men know he was going out for a coffee run. While driving, Gordon kept eyes both on the road and on the sidewalks. That's when he noticed that someone was sitting on the sidewalk. Gordon pulled his car over and stepped out. She was a redheaded woman, looked to be twenty- five or twenty - six years of age. When she looked upped at him, he knew he'd never forget her face. _

Erin sat still as she felt different types of textures run across her face. It was make - up. They had broke into a store in broad day light. Stealing whatever they could get their hands on. Joker had sent her to find make - up. She didn't ask him what he was looking for and he didn't say. She just did what he asked. After leaving the store, with several bags, they found an empty,unoccupied apartment in the narrows. Now, she was sitting as still as she could as he applied the make-up to her face. Smearing it like he had done to his own face. She felt his fingers bite, caress, grasp and stroke her face. It felt nice to feel him touch her. He hummed to himself as though he were painting a picture or molding with clay. She was his model, to do what he wanted with.

_Gordon sat down beside her, the pavement below was raw cold. Gordon shivered a bit. He was uncertain how to proceed. Her eyes were like waves of ocean water, her was darker than fire. She didn't look like a homeless person. But then again, she didn't look like a first class socialite. He'd never met her before nor had seen her in any crowds. It was as though she was just there, a mystery waiting to be solved. As she looked at him, he could tell she was harboring some dark secret. Something she could not talk about even if she wanted to. Her lips looked like something had smeared against them, either that or she had a difficult time putting on her lipstick. _

When he had kissed her, it hadn't been the first time. He had kissed her before. That night he let her go. She remembered walking the streets for hours. Hours or days. However long it took her to find a place to sit down and think things over. Erin kept her eyes closed as she felt his thumb rub across them. He said nothing to her as he smeared her face with a painted mask, hiding the bruises she had withstood for the past few hours. She wanted to see what she looked like but he wasn't done. Until then, she had to remain patient. It felt weird, weird to be with him again. Maybe she'd wake up and all of this would be a dream. But it wasn't a dream. It was real. The bruises that she had been given, those were real. Those kisses she'd been given, those were real.

_Erin looked at Gordon. Wondering why he was here, sitting with her. He looked older in person. His face looked aged but still held a handsome grace. His hair was a darkish brown with hints of early graying. His glasses sat in the middle of his nose. His eyes were a deep brown. She tried to smile at him, give him any kind of sympathy but she couldn't find any words for him. But maybe she could talk to him, if she could find the words to say. She could try. _

_"Are you Commissioner Gordon?" Erin asked. _

_"Yes I am", Gordon replied, smiling a little. _

_"I'm sorry about Harvey Dent", Erin exclaimed. _

_"It's okay", Gordon said, "So am I". _

"Done", Joker replied, maybe even a little tickled.

Erin opened her eyes, she wondered what she looked like. Joker held up a mirror. Erin gave a wide smile. Her face was white, there were black diamonds done around her eyes, and her lips were a lighter red. He done something with her hair as well. Her hair was now black and red. He had taken some hair spray paint and had sprayed her hair black. She looked...like a clown. Joker handed her the last two bags, they were heavy with clothing. Erin decided not to waste time and she stripped down to her bra and underwear. Joker stood there, hands in pants pockets. She dumped out the bags of clothing and shoes.

She grabbed a black leather skirt which had red hearts on it, dark red fish net pantie hose, a black flat slip on shoe and a red flat slip on shoe, a dark red leather corset, a black long sleeved turtle neck, a pair of black gloves which had red hearts on them, and to complete her outfit, a dark red leather trench coat. Erin put these articles of clothing on. All Joker did was stand there, watching silently. After a few minutes, she was covered, from head to toe, in red and black.

"Well, how do I look?" Erin asked.

Joker walked over and circled her. He made "hmm" noises under his breath after a few moments he clapped his hands together.

"There's just one thing missing", He replied finally.

He took the black spray can and made a black heart on her corset. He sprayed until the heart was filled in. He tossed the can aside and then began making the "hmm" noised again. He looked at her, slipping his tongue between his teeth.

"Now what to call you", Joker muttered.

_Gordon checked his watch, he had been sitting here on the sidewalk for about thirty minutes or so. That's when she turned back to him. She stood up. Showing herself off for the first time. She was thin, wearing a sweatshirt and baggy jeans. She held out her hand to him. _

_"It was nice meeting you Commissioner. I hope we meet again in the future", Erin replied. _

_Gordon stood up and shook her hand. He then turned to go back to his car. As he put his hand on the driver's side door, he couldn't help but wonder who she was. _

_"I never asked her her name", He thought. _

_Gordon turned to ask her but she had gone. A newspaper rolled past where they had been sitting. Gordon sighed and got back into his car. He turned the car on and backed away from the curb. As he drove back to the station, still without a cup of coffee, Gordon help but think about her. She appeared to live in Gotham. Where in Gotham, he wasn't sure. He'd have to check the database but finding her would be really hard or really easy. Not every woman looked like she had. When Gordon got back to the station, one of the detectives asked him if anything exciting happened. Gordon didn't answer. He wanted to keep that night all to himself or until he found out who that red head was. He knew she would never be revealed. Not to him at least. _

He had spent five or so minutes thinking it over. Without warning he got really close to her. He put his hands on her shoulders. He leaned in as though he were going to kiss her. He didn't. He leaned in and whispered in her ear.

"Your new name is Ace", He whispered.

Erin just shook her head. She liked the name, Ace. It sounded...thrilling. But of course, only he knew who she really was. Whether Batman found out or not about who she was, it didn't matter. The bat would never know who she was before and who she was now. Joker put his purple coat back on and nodded that it was time for them to leave. Erin took his arm and the two left the make shift apartment. It felt weird to be wearing this style of clothing, to wear make-up as a way to stay mysterious. Erin hadn't felt so free spirited in her whole life. Maybe the Joker was just what she needed. Maybe all she needed was a change. She thought about living uptight, almost wishy-washy. Now, with him, she could be much more, more vibrant. She gazed up at him. Almost immediately, she felt something, deep in the pit of her stomach. Was this feelings towards him? She didn't know.

"Do I really feel that way about him, even after all this time?" Erin thought.

_As she walked down the streets of Gotham, she looked up at the sky. Her thoughts washing around in her head. She couldn't stop thinking about him. And she knew he would take over everything she did, every second of every day. He had wanted her to be just like him, to bring her into his chaos. But she wouldn't let him. She knew if she faced him again, she would let him take her. Let herself become like him. _

**Author's Note: Here's you update. I won't update constantly because I have other stories to update. So, Read and Review! **


	8. Chaotic Lust

Chapter Eight

**Chaotic Lust **

_It's been two months since the wardrobe change. Since the make - up was smeared across my bruised face. Since I watched my only friend die. Since Joker's kiss heated my lips. Since my last piece of sanity crumbled like bread crumbs. I shot a man. I held nothing back as I held that pop gun and shot him. He was a bank clerk and he wouldn't do what Joker wanted, so I shot him. Joker said nothing, told me to do nothing, as before. But I did it. Hell, it felt great. A smile spread across my face. Joker asked why I had done it. He wasn't upset or anything. He didn't yell at me for doing it. He just simply and plainly asked why I had shot that man. And all I could say was, "I don't know. I had no reason. I just did it". This seemed to please him. _

_I'm no longer Erin Knightly. Of course, nobody but Joker knows who I am. I have no identification of any kind, I was always in the back ground. Always in the gray area of people's lives. Just a normal citizen of this great and horrible city. But now I'm Ace. Someone to be scared of. Someone no one will ever forget. Joker calls me his "smokin' Ace". My weapons of choice are a pop gun and a razor sharp ace of hearts card. It's like a knife, cuts good too. We travel light, carrying everything in our pockets. We don't stay anywhere long enough for the Bat to find us. We cover our tracks. The police are finding it hard to keep up with us. We sleep as much as we can during the day and walk in the shadows at night. Gotham has no knowledge of us except that Joker is on the loose. We're a pair, he and I. _

Ace knelt down and felt the ground with a warm palm. She sniffed the ground like a blood hound. It wasn't like she had a great sense of smell or anything. Joker stood behind her. Hands deep in his pockets. His silent stare would have scared anyone but not her. He pressed his lips together, eyes unblinking and unmoving. Ace stood back up. She held herself in a intimate manner. Her curved body would have sent men to their knees with their mouths open. Joker just stood there, looking at her.

"He's been here. No car oil smells like that", Ace replied.

Ace walked up to him, she placed both hands against his chest. Her eyes staring up at him. The bones of his cheeks moved ever so slightly, he was pushing his tongue against the wall of his cheek. Licking his gum's. His eyes gazed upward. He was thinking. Every movement in his brain was like a clock, ticking away like a bomb. Nobody knew when an idea would float to the top. The bomb would go off and his idea would become real.

"Let's find our winged freak", Joker muttered, letting his garish smile widen.

The streets of Gotham were brightened by street lamps and the lights at each intersection. Lights from apartments shown above. Billboards atop business buildings were a light. Cars buzzed by, trying to get home before the unexpected happened, people in a hurry to find a place to eat, a place to park. It was a warm evening even for September. Ace walked with her arm wrapped around Joker's. They walked casually, as though they were just another couple in Gotham, out for a stroll. Joker was taking them to their next destination. He was always in command of their movements, where they went. Ace did as he asked or when he didn't. She knew what pleased him. She knew what to for some unknown reason, she knew what he wanted when he didn't ask for it.

"Where are we going?" Ace asked softly.

"Uh, uh, uh, no questions", Joker replied wagging his finger.

Ace knew he never revealed any information, to no one. Not even her. He loved his personal jokes. The jokes no one got, not even her. Yet she basked in his light, let him lead her into such insanity. She'd follow him the ends of the earth. She never pressured him to kiss her again. When he touched her, she'd back away. Making him want her even more. Yet, he allowed her to lean against him. To allow the physical touch, nothing more than that. Ace found her mouth a gap, they were standing out front of a glamorous building. A building only the rich and wealthy were able to afford to use.

"They're holding a fundraiser for Rachel Dawes. The woman who was seeing Harvey Dent. Now what we're gonna do is, we're gonna go up there and crash their little party. Our goal, my lovely assistant, our goal is to draw out the Bat. If he doesn't show up, we're gonna start a little riot, got it?" Joker asked gesturing with his hands and smacking his lips together as he spoke.

"Got it Mr. J", Ace replied with a smile.

Ace couldn't believe there weren't any cops around. They were probably inside. Ace went into the lobby first. She guessed everyone was upstairs. Her eyes scanned the room, seeing that it was all clear, she gave him the sign that he could enter safely. They proceeded to the elevator and stepped inside.

"Goin' up", Ace said chirpishly and pushing the up arrow.

Joker leaned over to her and pressed his lips together, "If we weren't here to catch a bat, I'd do it with you right here in the elevator", he said this in a slight whisper and as casually as possible.

He stood away from her, placing on hand in his coat pocket and letting the other dangle at his side. Ace let out a slight giggle, it was also an uncomfortable sigh. Had he actually meant that? Would he really...with her...right in the elevator? Ace tried to push those thoughts aside, she had to think clearly. She had to protect him, whatever it took. Protecting the Joker was her priority. Her number one priority. Her needs and wants were his priority, not her own. As the elevator door opened, faces upon faces turned in their direction. Horror struck citizens and charity raisers. Not all of Gotham's most wealthiest sons and daughters but just a small group.

"Good evening Gotham City", Ace called taking out her pop gun and holding it in the air.

"What no applause? I'm hurt, really hurt", Joker replied stepping off the elevator and touching his chest.

It was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop. Eyes wide in terror, mouths open in shock. Ace could smell the fear, hear their silent screams, their begs for mercy. She and Joker gave no mercy. Sure they played and tortured everyone who crossed their paths but Joker was the one to do the killing, to hear their mercy, begs of sparing their lives.

"I want to introduce a new person in my life, my lovely assistant, ACE!", Joker exclaimed loudly.

Ace did a back flip, landing on her feet, she bowed. The crowd seemed less thrilled by her. But their eyes were mostly on Joker. Ace walked over to the Joker, her eyes scanned the crowd. She turned back to the Joker.

"Why don't you tell these inhuman bags why we're here Mr. J. I think they wanna know", Ace said leaning her head back and grinning.

Joker moved away from her. Satisfied that she was keeping the ball rolling. He itched for her. Wanted her. But he had a mission to carry out. He walked amongst the crowed. He took out his switch blade, he aimed it at people's faces.

"I'm lookin' for someone. The Batman. Know him?" He asked, "No? Too bad"

Ace knew the Bat was outlawed in this corrupt city. Anyone who spoke about him, had nothing good to say. Ace wasn't surprised. The bastard had nearly knocked her senseless two months ago. Ace lightly touched where were jaw was. The pain was gone and so were the bruises but the memory wasn't gone. Ace dropped her hand. She couldn't weaken. Not now. Not ever.

"Have any of you seen the Batman? My boss needs to talk to him", Ace announced.

She held out her pop gun. This gun was dangerous. If she let it off. Two or three people would be dead. And they looked as though they didn't want that to happen. But as though on cue, at the far end of the room, one of the glass windows broke. Batman swung in, landing in a kneeling position on the floor. He looked up and then stood up. Everyone stayed where they were. They were frozen with anxious fear.

"Party's over Joker", Batman replied gruffly.

"The party is just getting started", Joker humored.

Without warning, Joker flung a rubber chicken onto the floor. There was a ticking sound from with in it. Joker roared with laughter. He grabbed Ace's hand and steered her towards the elevator.

"By the way, you have twenty seconds to disable it", He called, laughing crazily.

Joker and Ace were off the elevator as the building shook with a loud blast. Joker and Ace booked it out of the front lobby. To their luck or just ironically, a cab sat vaccated. Joker opened the passenger door for Ace, once she was in the car, he closed the door and jumpped in the drivers seat. The keys were still in the ignition. There was another loud blast and flames began consuming the building. Joker was still laughing as they drove off. They were two or three blocks from the glamorous building by the time police and firefighters were able to arrive. Ace had felt excitment rush through her, she couldn't help but laugh and grin along with him.

They were back in the narrows of Gotham. Joker parked the car. He and Ace got out of the cab. Joker took out a pack of matches and lit one, then another, then another. The car was a flame within seconds. Ace and Joker started walking in zig zags. It was to confuse police and even Batman.

"We should throw more parties more often", Joker muttered.

"You throw the best parties Mr. J", Ace commented.

Joker nodded. He then stopped. As though by instinct, Ace stopped too. She turned to him. She wondered if something was wrong or if he was just tired from all of their sprees. Joker turned to her. He placed his hands on her shoulders. On hand crept up into her hair, tenderly touching it. He leaned in and pressed his lips against hers. He brought his lips down to her neck. Ace stood still. Letting him touch her. She wanted him too. Ace pressed herself against him. Letting the palms of her hands rest against his chest. Her lips were at the nap of his neck. She reached up and let her fingers run through his hair.

They were on the ground. They had stripped of their clothing. The darkness was closing in on them but the street lamps were creating the shadows. Everyone around them in the buildings surrounding the area were either awake or asleep. Minding their own business. Not knowing two fingures below were surrendering to their lust. The chaos of lust was the most body was lean and muscular. Her body was thin and curved. They clung to each other. Letting gasps of air rise in their lungs. Letting the night air suffocate all other breaths. Joker's hands were under Ace's head, protecting her skull like a pillow. Her arms were up around his neck and shoulders, covering his front like a blanket.

"Erin", Joker whispered in her ear.

He whispered it, as though he was about to say something more. But he didn't say nothing more. How he had said it, it was special. To hear him say her name, it was something both odd and worth hearing. She looked at him, really looked at him. His scars were something. She let her index finger run across them. Letting herself feel them. He didn't mind. He looked down at her, his eyes read or said nothing. And yet...when he had called her by her real name...she heard it. His voice was clear as ever to her. When they broke apart, after what seemed like a life time, it sunk in. As they dressed quietly, neither one speaking, Ace looked over at him. His back was to her. When they were both dressed and ready to proceed forward, it sunk in. She, Erin Knightly, had just made love with Gotham's most dangerous convicted criminal, the only one who was able to break out of Arkham,

The Joker.

**Author's Note: Okay, I hope this chapter was exciting for all. I hope this wasn't too shocking. I tried to keep everyone in character. I tried. I hope I did well. Sorry for any smut. I didn't want to get too detailed. This is a Joker/Erin Pairing, so I wanted them to be sort of a couple while Joker goes on his rampage of Gotham. I didn't want Erin to be too much like Harley Quinn but this chapter takes place two months after the last chapter. So I wanted Erin/Ace to be sort of already becoming insane and in love with Joker. And it seems all of her cookies have crumbled. If you have any ideas or suggestions,tell me. I want to hear what you think! **

**READ AND REVIEW JOKER FANS! **


	9. The Bat and the Jester

Chapter Nine

**The Bat and the Jester **

_I feel cold. Like the wind rippling my skin. But there's something craddling me. Something soft. A blanket maybe. I've never slept so good before. Then there's a smell. Like something sweet. Smells like tea. But I can't wake up. I don't want to. I remember Joker's lips caressing my neck. Felt like heaven warmed over in hell. I hear footsteps, they are smooth and stealthy. they aren't his. And I have to wake up now, because there's something wrong. I know there is. I always know. _

Erin woke up to a half lit room. She was laying on a redish brown leather couch. A cream feather pillow had been craddling her head, while a dark green down comforter had been keeping her warm. She looked around the room for a moment. She was in a living room, maybe a sitting room. There was a portrait of a family just above the fireplace. The fireplace was lighting the room. The fireplace was made of ebony wood. So was the floor below. Where was she? And where was the Joker? She felt her face, then her hair. No make up and no hair coloring. Had she taken a bath? Erin stood up from the couch. She was wearing a men's white collard shirt, a little big for her. The only embarrasing thing was that she wasn't wearing any pants.

Fear. Anixety. Hurt. Confusion. All of these seemed to overwhelm her. The footsteps she'd heard a moment ago, came back. Erin turned around. Bruce Wayne came into the room, hands in pockets. Looking slightly half awake. His hair was slightly messed. Erin felt the urge to claw his eyes out.

"Thought I'd come check on you", Bruce replied.

"I don't know what sick game you're playing but I want no part of it", Erin exclaimed.

"Joker left you in a abanded apartment. The police are still looking for him", Bruce said still in a casual tone.

"He'd never leave me!", Erin cried.

"Unless he was trying to hide you, he did a very poor job of it", Bruce pointed out.

"Who do you think you are? Batman?" Erin asked.

Bruce felt a small pain in his stomach. Where Joker had given him a good kick. Joker hadn't left her in a abandoned apartment over night. No, Joker was clever. Bruce had found Erin in Gotham's abandoned toy factory. She had been waiting there, as a decoy. Joker had gotten the best of him with a toy mallet. It had been a set up. But Gotham's dark knight had won again. He had knocked the Joker unconscious and grabbed Erin. Joker would be hidden in a different spot by now, binding his time. It had been two days since then. Erin just wasn't aware of it, since she had been out cold.

"No, I'm not Batman but I do care about you as a person", Bruce replied, lying for the most part.

"You gonna send me to the asylum?" Erin asked.

"No. But Joker will be sent there once he's caught", Bruce informed her.

Erin sunk back onto the couch. What was she going to do now? There was no way she could possibly help him. She was vulnerable again. If she were Ace, she'd know what to do but what was the use? Even if she found Joker, they'd just be separated again. But she had to do it. It was the whole point wasn't it? She'd show them. She'd save the Joker even if it killed her. He'd do it for her, wouldn't he? He broke out once before to come for her, hadn't he? Erin had to save him and not as Ace but as herself. Little old Erin Knightly would have to come to the rescue, whatever the risks.

Bruce sat down beside her, "What happened two years ago?"

Erin looked at him. How could he ask such a question? She felt slightly offended but a little glad. She hadn't talked about it, to anyone. That night and everything else afterwords was her secret. Something she'd swore she'd take to the grave with her. Then the news about Harvey Dent's death made her want to die as well. The small casual conversation with Commissioner Gordon a couple nights later had been in her thoughts as well. She'd apologized and said she was sorry. But saying sorry wasn't enough.

"I don't want to talk about it", Erin finally said.

"Did he ask you to do anything? To kill anybody?", Bruce asked.

"No. He asked nothing of me. I was only with him for a short time", Erin said, she then raised a curious eyebrow, "Why?"

"I know about the night he recruited you. Funny how much money it can take to make police officers look like hobos", Bruce replied.

"You weren't even there...", Erin trailed off.

Bruce leaned in and whispered into her ear, "Sometimes all of us have to wear masks".

It freaked her out. The tension was thicker than fog. Erin felt a cold shiver wash over her. His voice was casual and calm. If what he was saying was true, then why was he telling her? To gain his trust? He was out of his mind and she had plenty of experience with those kind of men. Erin gave him a look of confusion and frustration, if those two emotions were possible to pull off together.

"I don't believe you", Erin replied.

"How do you think Batman was able to find you at the hospital when he's an outlaw in his own city?"Bruce asked.

"That part I get. I said I don't believe you because all you care about is taking down the Joker. You knocked me out cold in the parking garage. And... how in the world did you survive that explosion?" Erin asked.

"Can't tell you but I have a minor wound in my chest", Bruce said.

"I'm not sorry about crashing the party", Erin muttered.

A second later, a man wearing a black suit came in carrying a tray with tea, cream and sugar on it. He smiled kindly. He didn't look a day over fifty. He had white hair and was slightly balding. His eyes were brown.

"Here's your tea Ms. Knightly", He replied in a British accent.

"Erin, this is Alfred", Bruce said.

"Thank you Alfred", Erin exclaimed smiling a bit.

"Will there be anything else?" Alfred asked.

"Alfred, do you know how to make cucumber sandwiches?" Erin asked, her mood brightening.

"Indeed I do. Would you like anything sir?" Alfred asked.

"No thank you Alfred", Bruce replied.

"Right then. I'll be back with your sandwiches", Alfred said nodding courtly to Erin.

After he left the room, Bruce turned to Erin.

"Cucumber sandwiches?" Bruce asked.

"A girl's gotta eat", Erin shrugged.

She felt at home here but it wasn't enough. She missed Joker and once Alfred brought her cucumber sandwiches, Bruce left her alone to eat with her thoughts. Erin didn't mind him leaving her alone. She wanted nothing but Joker beside her. In the kitchen, Alfred turned to Bruce.

"Something wrong, sir?" Alfred asked.

"I feel sorry for her Alfred", Bruce exclaimed quietly.

"Because she was recruited by a madman two years ago or that she became what he wanted her to?" Alfred asked.

"Because I punched her in the face and that same time I was falling for her", Bruce replied.

"With respect sir, this is another person you don't fully understand", Alfred pointed out.

"She needs saving and I'm not going to let what happened to Rachel, happen to Erin", Bruce said.

"Strictly business or pleasure, sir?" Alfred asked.

"Can't it be both?" Bruce asked with a smirk.

Alfred smiled too, "Just be careful".

Bruce left the kitchen and went back into the living room. Erin had gone back to sleep. She had devoured the sandwiches Alfred had made. Bruce didn't blame her, if she and Joker had been on the run, food was hard to come by. It was hard for him to look away from her. Sure she had teamed with the Joker but still...she was an innocent being. Bruce recovered her with the blanket. He then, for some reason, he found himself leaning down to kiss her. Erin opened her eyes and slapped him across the face. She rolled over, her back to him and went back to sleep.

"I defiantly deserve that", Bruce muttered touching his cheek, which was burning hot from her slap.

**Author's Note: HI! Sorry for the long wait. Okay, hope this chapter doesn't suck. Don't worry fans of mine, more Erin/Joker coming up! Read and Review! **


	10. Turning Point

Chapter Ten

**Turning Point **

Erin had learned that her previous outfit had been discarded. So, she had managed to twist Bruce's arm and made him take her shopping. She was now wearing a black choker with a red heart teardrop, a purple spaghetti strap tank top, a dark green pleaded skirt, a dark purple leather jacket and black boots. Her hair was down of course. Her hair now had black streaks in it. She bought make up too. She smeared her face white, smeared black around her eyes and of course applied dark red lipstick to her lips.

She was Ace now.

Ace stared out the window of the bat car. Her reflection staring back at her. The bat was handing her over to the police. She felt betrayed but apparently Bruce's alter ego had made the decision even though Bruce himself didn't want to. Ace turned to Batman, her arms folded across her chest.

"You must get this a lot but is there a radio in here?" She asked.

"No", He replied in a cold tone.

He was trying to keep an eye on the road. But she was sitting there like a sultry court jester. Skin glistening from the small lights and monitors on the dashboard. Ace heaved a sigh of boredom but she wouldn't be bored any longer. They were now pulling up in front of the police station. Gordon and several other officers were standing outside.

"Oh ya, just for me", Ace mumbled.

Batman got out and walked around to let her out. He kept a good grip on her arm until they were inside. Gordon and the others followed. They put her in one of the holding cells. Ace didn't fight being locked up. She just leaned against the bars of the cell.

"No cuffs, real shame, and here I thought you were doing your job", Ace replied.

"I'd watch your attitude", Batman grumbled.

Ace just smirked with a clownish grin, much like the Joker's. And here she thought that good boy Bruce Wayne liked her. She guessed Bats didn't care for her because she was a criminal again. Oh well. As Batman turned to leave, Ace called out to him.

"By the way Bats, you were never my type", Ace exclaimed.

Batman said nothing and left the police station. Ace sat down on the bench in her cell. Stretching her legs out. The other officers dispersed around the station, going back to their work. Gordon stood by Ace's cell.

"Something wrong Jimmy?" Ace asked.

"What did he do to you?" Gordon muttered.

"Nothin' really, just some sugar and spice and a cup of chaos", Ace replied happily and tilting her head.

Gordon turned and went back into his office. Ace sighed and looked around. This place was boring. At least it was better than Arkham. She had heard stories about the asylum back when she worked at the hospital, back when life was simple. But maybe now, that she really looked at it, life then was just as complicated as it was now. She missed the Joker something terrible. Ace stood up and walked along the bars of her cell. That's when the phone rang.

"Hello?" Detective Allen asked answering the phone.

Allen hung up. Detective Ramirez walked over.

"Who was that?" Ramirez asked.

"Just a hang up", Allen replied, feeling rather confused.

"That's weird", Ramirez muttered.

If someone had been standing by the front doors of the police station, they would have died instantly, because a second later, the front end of the police station exploded. The explosion sent desks, people, papers and other items across the room. Ace was knocked over from the force of the blow. She fell against the bars of her cell, giving her head a good smack. She touched the back of her head, it hurt like hell. Ramirez and Allen and several others survived, Gordon came out of his office.

"What the hell is going on?" Gordon asked.

"Evening....Commissioner", A cackling voice called.

Ace felt her breath give way. Joker appeared out of the dust the explosion had created. Joker was carrying a black metal hand gun. A smile played across his face. He looked more insane than he usually was. Ramirez and Allen pulled out their guns.

"Stop where you are!", Ramirez yelled.

Joker opened his coat with his left hand. Small cherry bombs and grenades were stringed along in the inside of his jacket.

"How about you put down your gun and hand over your keys", Joker exclaimed.

"Do as he says", Gordon muttered.

Ramirez took out the keys and tossed them to the Joker. The keys landed at his feet. Joker bent down and picked them up. He casually walked over. He kept his gun pointed at them, to make sure nobody got heroic on. Joker had hopped Batman would be here but it looked like the bat hadn't stuck around. Joker unlocked Ace's cell. Ace got to her feet and walked out of her cell. Joker threw the keys into the pile of rubble that had been caused by his explosion. Joker and Ace were on their way out when Batman appeared in the door way. Ready for a fight. Joker held out an arm, to keep Ace out of Batman's line of reach.

"Ramirez, Allen, get the others out of here", Gordon ordered.

Ramirez and Allen helped the remaining officers evacuate. After the officers evacuated, Batman and Joker began to fight each other. With Joker's back on her, Gordon slipped over and grabbed Ace. Batman pinned Joker to the ground. He had his hand to the clown's throat.

"Do it, you know you want to", Joker muttered, still grinning.

"But I'm not. You deserve to die but not at my hands", Batman replied gruffly.

Gordon walked over, still keeping a good hold on Ace. Joker looked upwards, his smile was fading.

"Let her go", Joker growled.

"The two of you will be sharing a cell in Arkham by this time tomorow", Gordon said.

"I thought you said I wasn't going to Arkham?" Ace asked glaring at the bat.

"You thought wrong. If you were still the person you were two years ago, you'd be let free but this isn't the case, now is it?" Batman asked.

Within the hour, other officers arrived and so did some armored trucks. Both Joker and Ace were cuffed and placed in sepearte veichles. Batman followed them to make sure they arrived at Arkham without any problems. Dr. Jeromiah Arkham, Dr. Joan Leland and Dr. Huffman were waiting on the building steps. Joker was brought in first. Then Ace. Batman followed them along with Commissioner Gordon. A tall man with dark brown hair and black rimmed glasses was standing just inside, he was holding a clipboard and a dark blue pen.

"Crane", Gordon replied in a rather stunned tone.

"Dr. Jonathan Crane", Crane muttered in a expressionless tone.

"You're supposed to be locked up", Batman pointed out in a snappish manner.

"I got a job here because of my good behavior. You might say, I live here", Crane exclaimed.

As Ace passed Crane, Crane gave her a look of interest. Joker glared at the doctor and Crane went back to looking over his clipboard. Crane and Dr. Arkham left the others to deal with the criminals. Dr. Leland led them down to the cells. Joker and Ace were an exception to the rules and were given the same cell, which was not premitted in any other case. The cell was the size of a closet. Grimy brick walls, stone floors that looked like they've never been cleaned, a single bed and a small barred window, which let in only some sunlight. Joker streteched across the single bed, he patted the matteress gently. Ace smiled a little and layed with him.

_Being there was like having no feeling of any emotions. Like all happiness had been taken away. The place was like hell except with floors, doors and windows. I felt like this was somehow my fault. Maybe he didn't see it that way, he said nothing to me while I layed against him. He held me none the less. After an hour of silence, except for the occasional scream from some poor soul down the hallway, Joker told me this wasn't my fault. Told me not to blame myself. That's when I knew he'd come up with a plan to get us out. I know he will. _

**Author's Note: Okay, hope this chapter is a lot better than the last. More Erin/Joker next! R & R! :) **


	11. Conversation Piece

Chapter Eleven

**Conversation Piece **

Crane made my rounds as usual. Checking on the many inmates who had become his patients over the past months. They were nothing now. After seeing him, they became nothing except screaming zombies. They behaved better than when they first came in. The other doctors don't know Crane's true intentions, of make Arkham a fear factory and everyone will know what a true visionary he was. As Crane make my way back towards hid office, he decide to make a detour down to the second level. He knew Dr. Leland was working with the Joker and his little redhead pet but what could it hurt to check in on them, right? Crane acted casusal as he took his key card and opened the security door. The security guards don't question him but they still think he belonged behind bars. He pretend to be looking through his clipboard as he approached the second cell on the right. Ace was leaning against the wall, arms crossed arcross her chest. She was wearing a slight pout on her face. Her eyes were staring downwards at the floor. She had taken off her jacket, which had been thrown onto the bed, along with Joker's. Her body held a fasination towards any man's imagination and dreams. Crane walked over and just held his clipboard at his side. She looked up, her make up was more smeared than the day before. Patches of light skin were seen through the cracks of her white make up. Her eyes were dark, like the sky when there is no moon.

"How are you doing?" He asked in a "compassionate doctor" voice.

"Go away", Ace muttered.

"I want to help you", Crane replied.

Ace turned to him like she was ready to pounce. Her fists were shaking and there was something hidden behind her eyes. Crane could tell she was fighting the urge to cry and the urge to stay in control. Without the make-up, without the Joker, she could easily be ripped apart by his psychological methods but maybe he could still do that. Rip her mind apart. Find her weakness and feed on it. Crane took out his key card and opened her cell. She didn't strike, like he knew she would. She was scared. And he liked it. Crane could feel her fear seep off of her.

"I just want to help you", He replied again, this time in soft voice.

He saw her eyes flicker. He wanted to smirk. Wanted to laugh bitterly. She trusted him and he knew he could use this to his advantage.

_I had been minding my own buisness. Waiting for Joker to return from Dr. Leland's session. She had wanted to see us seperately. I was feeling anything but talkative. I wanted Joker to come back. The place gave me the creeps. That's when Dr. Crane appeared in front of my cell. He gave me the creeps too. He stared at me. He then started to talk to me, I told him to go away but he didn't. He opened the door of my cell with his key card. He said he wanted to help me. That's what Bruce had implied before sending me here. I followed Dr. Crane up to the first level and then to his office. The doctor was tall and lanky, his clothes almost seemed baggy on him. I walked behind him so he wouldn't look at me. Not that I cared greatly of being stared at but Crane seemed a bit out of place to me. I wish I was back in my cell waiting for Mr. J, instead I was being led to a private office by a complete creep. Crane's office was darkened, the only light was a dimed lamp light on his desk. There was a couch and chair just opposite his desk. Crane set his clipboard down on his desk and sat in the chair. I sat on the couch, keeping my hands folded in my lap._

"So, why don't you tell me about yourself", Crane replied.

"You're not on a need to know basis", Ace responded.

"Ms. Knightly, think of me as your friend", Crane exclaimed nodding.

"Don't call me that", Ace muttered darkly.

"What does _he _call you? His little lady? or would the queen of hearts be more appropriate?" Cran asked.

"He calls me Ace", Ace said darkly.

"I think he calls you by your real name. What is your real name?" Crane asked.

"Since you've obvisously read my file, you already know it", Ace pointed out.

Crane sat forward slightly, his eyes boring into hers. But she was fighting it. She had built a fortress around herself. The Joker had obviously weakened her defenses but she had built them back up. To protect herself. He would break it in due time. He had to try another approach. He was a mind person. He'd beable to break her with little or no method.

"What would you like to talk about?" Crane asked.

"I'm not in the mood to talk", Ace exclaimed.

"Talking helps the mind", Crane replied.

Ace stared down and studied her feet. And then her hands.

"Well...I did something two years ago I'm not really proud of", Ace muttered in a low whisper.

"Now we're getting somewhere", Crane replied leaning back in his seat.

**Author's Note: Mwahaha ! Crane is going to torture poor Ace but don't worry, Crane gets his butt kicked by Mr. J ! I'm sorry there wasn't much in this chapter. I just wanted to get underway with Crane's and Ace's converstation. I'll update when I possibly can. R & R! **


	12. Confessions of the Heart

Chapter Twelve

**Confessions of the Heart **

Ace stared down and studied her feet. And then her hands.

"Well...I did something two years ago I'm not really proud of", Ace muttered in a low whisper.

"Now we're getting somewhere", Crane replied leaning back in his seat.

Ace looked at him. She wasn't really sure if she should be sharing her story with him. She barley knew him. But he had that air of calm about him, like the Joker did.

"I killed someone", She replied.

Crane nodded for her to go on. The longer people talked, the longer you got to know a person. everyone had fear, a weakness, something special, something you can tear away and leave them begging. He didn't really work here. He did group therapys for the other inmates. He wasn't the Psychotrist he used to be. He was much better than he was before. A hell of a lot better.

"ItwasRacheldawes", Ace murmured.

"I'm sorry, I didn't quit here you", Crane said leaning forward.

Ace felt a small trickle in the corner of her eyes. She hadn't thought about it before. Not ever.

"It was Rachel Dawes. I killed Rachel Dawes", She cried.

He wasn't expecting a confession but maybe it was better then nothing. He definately hadn't expected this. But he just nodded, folding his hands ontop of each other.

"I was recruited by the Joker one night when I went to the corner store. He killed the store clerk. I just went with him to survive. I knew it was the only way. He never asked me to do anything, to kill anyone. I don't even know why he kept me around. He just did. The night before the accedent, Joker releaved me of my services. He kissed me good-bye. I don't know what came over me. I got this real crazy idea. I diguised myself and killed the guy who was supposed to pick up Rachel. I drove her myself. I drove to the place where she died. I ran for my life after that. Joker doesn't even know. Nobody does", Ace replied, she then smiled, a huge grin played across her face, "And do you know what? I did it for him. I just thought I was crazy but I did it for him. I spent two years trying to forget about him but now, now I realize that I love him. I love him !".

Crane stared at her. He couldn't find anything to say at the moment. She was slighty insane. Pure work of the Joker's. Crane had indeed read her file. He had slipped himself into Dr. Arkham's office and got it himself. Erin Knightly had no past records, criminal records. Didn't seem mental. But as of right now. She was less human than she had been or used to be. He gave her a good look over. Saw all signs of the Joker's handy work.

"Have you or have you ever met Ms. Dawes before?" Crane asked.

"No. I had no reason. No revenge, no hate, no dislike, no reaons to kill her. But I did", Ace said.

"Have your parents ever been abusive or neglectful of you?" Crane asked.

"My mother died after she gave birth to me and my father died when I was thirteen", Ace muttered.

"I see. Well, how about I try some theraputic methods", Crane replied.

Ace looked up to see him walk over to his desk. He took out a key unlocked one of his drawers. He took something out and unwrapped it. It looked like a burlap sack. Ace wrinkled her face a little. Crane walked over to the light switch.

"Are you afraid of the dark Ms. Knightly?" Crane asked.

Ace didn't answer. She shivered slightly. She hadn't been afraid of the dark since she was five years old. Crane didn't wait for her answer, he flicked off the lights and placed the burlap sack over his face. His eyes shined yellowish and the room began to become surreal. Ace cringed on the couch.

_I'll never forget when Crane turned to look at me, his eyes were yellow and I felt a cold chill fill the room. I thought he was going to murder me. _

**Author's Note: I'VE UPDATED! R &R! **


	13. Methods

Chapter Thirteen

**Methods **

"I see. Well, how about I try some theraputic methods", Crane replied.

Ace looked up to see him walk over to his desk. He took out a key unlocked one of his drawers. He took something out and unwrapped it. It looked like a burlap sack. Ace wrinkled her face a little. Crane walked over to the light switch.

"Are you afraid of the dark Ms. Knightly?" Crane asked.

Ace didn't answer. She shivered slightly. She hadn't been afraid of the dark since she was five years old. Crane didn't wait for her answer, he flicked off the lights and placed the burlap sack over his face. His eyes shined yellowish and the room began to become surreal. Ace cringed on the couch.

_I'll never forget when Crane turned to look at me, his eyes were yellow and I felt a cold chill fill the room. I thought he was going to murder me. Then he wasn't him any more. It's like something made him shift and change. Either that or I was given some sort of drug. I could smell something and that's when I felt my nose burn. _

Ace felt the fumes swimming off of him. Not only her nose began to burn, her eyes began go tear up. There were different sounds, voices, flashes going on inside of her head at once. Ace couldn't stand it. She rolled off of the couch and onto the floor. She fingers were clenching her hair. Her eyes gazing up into the darkness. Images played out in the shadows and she opened her mouth to scream but no sound came out.

"He hates you, they all hate you", Crane mumbled, "You are nothing to them. You are nothing to him. The Joker doesn't care about you. The minute he doesn't need you anymore, he'll turn his back on you and kill you. He'll kill you like he liked everyone else he didn't care about".

"STOP IT. PLEASE STOP!" Ace cried finally.

"You helped him murder all of those innocent people. He needed you, didn't he? He's needed you since the very beginning", Crane continued.

"SHUT UP!" Ace yelled.

Crane knelt down over her but when Ace looked up, it wasn't him she was seeing, it was the Joker. Crane was using some sort of an illusion to make her see something that was not there. Ace trembled now. She could feel the toxins seeping off of Crane like a smell coming off a garbage truck during the summer.

"You're afraid of being alone. Of being isolated. You've been isolated your whole life. You killed Rachel Dawes so you wouldn't have to leave the Joker. You don't like small cramped areas either. Being in dark claustrophobic is also a fear of yours, isn't it?" Crane asked.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Ace yelled.

Her eyes then had rolled back into her head. She had breathed in too much toxins. She lay limp on the floor, her eyes closed. Crane removed the burlap sack and locked it back in his desk. He smoothed back his hair and placed his glasses back on his face. He smoothed down his suit and waited a few minutes before turning on the lights. When he turned on the lights, Ace began to stir. Her eyes opened first and she slowly sat back up. It took more than a few minutes for her stand up. Crane went over and helped her steady herself.

"Get away from me you bastard", Ace muttered.

"I'm going to take you back to your cell", Crane replied gently.

Ace nodded, at the moment she could barely feel the floor beneath her. Her body felt numb and she felt strange too. Crane placed his arm around hers and they left his office. As they walked down the hallways and down to the second level, Ace couldn't help but notice all the lights that were on. Then a second later, they'd have to stop because she was screaming at the images in her head to stop. They were back at her and Joker's cell about ten minutes took out his key card and opened the cell door. Ace ran up to Joker and through her arms around him.

"I love you. I'm so... I killed Rachel Dawes. I...", But Ace trailed off.

Her vision blurred and she let go of him. She backed out of the cell and fell against the opposite wall, she slipped down the wall and cringed in a sitting position. She began to sob and hold her head in her hands.

"Please...Please...don't...don't...kill me", She muttered through sniffling sobs.

Joker stared at her for a moment. He then turned his attention to Crane. Joker's hands balled into fists. Joker stepped out of the cell and grabbed hold of Crane. He drew back his arm and punched Crane. Crane was on the floor a second later.

"What did you do to her?" Joker asked in a deathly whisper.

Crane got back up and put his glasses into his coat pocket. He could see without them, they were just for reading.

"I'm a Psychologist on fear. I've studied every form of fear. I also study minds as well. Ms. Knightly has a wonderful mind you could look into", Crane replied with a slight smirk.

Joker grabbed Crane by his jacket and threw him against the wall, Joker held him there. Crane didn't understand the Joker's methods anymore than anyone else but there was something behind the clown's eyes. Anger possibly. In those few seconds, Crane understood one thing, this wasn't the first time someone had hurt Ace or rather, Erin.

"Batman hurt her didn't he? Why not take your revenge out on him? I was merely trying to help", Crane exclaimed.

Just behind them, Ace stood up, she was still a little shaken. She approached them. Joker peered over his shoulder at her, he let go of Crane. Ace walked passed the Joker and stood in front of Crane. She punched him in the jaw.

"Batman didn't try to poison me", Ace muttered.

Crane sat there, holding his jaw where she had punched him. At her words, Joker was ready for round three.

"You tried to poison her?" Joker asked getting into Crane's face.

"GUARDS!" Crane yelled.

Joker grabbed Ace's arm and pulled her back into their cell and shut the door, which re-locked it's self when it shut. Two guards found Crane beaten and bloody about a minute later. Joker turned to Ace who was sitting on the bed.

"What did you say about killing Rachel Dawes?" Joker asked quietly.

"After you let me go, I killed the guy who was supposed to pick Rachel up. I disguised myself and drove her to the place where she was killed. After they took her inside, I got out of the car and ran for my life. I hide for about a couple of days before I found out that Harvey Dent fell to his death", Ace said.

"You didn't kill her. You just drove the car. You gotta stop beatin' yourself up for stuff you had nothin' to do with", Joker replied sitting beside her.

"I did it for you", Ace muttered quietly.

"Well, I guess that's all that matters then", Joker exclaimed putting his arm around her shoulders.

Ace let her face break into a smile. She looked up at him and saw that he was smiling as well. She fought with herself for a moment and then leaned against his shoulder. He either didn't mind or didn't notice.

_I guess I feel better about telling the truth. I helped kill Rachel Dawes. A woman I didn't know, I had no vendetta against, I had not hate towards. I did it for the Joker. I didn't know it then but I think I was falling for him. I love him. I really do. I don't ever want to part from him. I think he feels the same way but I'll never know. He keeps that stuff to himself. I think he secretly laughs at me because I still don't understand. But I know he wants me around and I know he'd never abandon me. I felt my heart skip a beat when he punched Crane. He was doing it for me, I know he was. Oh Mr. J, you complete me. _

**Author's Note: I hope this was much longer then the last chapter. Alright, I've checked the reviews for this story and we are at 44 reviews. YA! I hope we can get to fifty by the next chapter or the chapter after that. Tell your friends who are Batman fans to read this story. I want to thank everyone who has reviewed so far. I hope we get more reviews and I hope we can make it to 100 reviews before the end. OKAY, READ AND REVIEW! **


	14. Isolated

Chapter Fourteen

**Isolation **

_My mind feels like it's been split into two. I don't blame them for putting me in a rubber room. The walls, floor, the inside of the door, and the ceiling. There's no windows and there's one light but the light is so dim that it's almost pitch black for the most part. The lights from the outside corridor shine in but still it's not that much. The guard who had come to check on Crane called two or so doctors. Dr. Leland was the first to arrive. Crane told her that Joker had come at him and threatened to snap his neck off. She believed him. The doctors took me out of the cell that Joker and I were sharing. They washed off my make shift make-up and got rid of my street clothes. They gave me gray pajamas and put me in here. I think they expected me to give them a hard time but I didn't. Why would I give them a hard time? Why would they want that? Joker didn't seem remotely upset that I was being rubber padded, not that I expected him to feel anything, he wasn't that kind of person He was put in a rubber room too but I didn't care. Let him rot. _

_Part of me wanted him to rot and part of me, well, part of me remembers that night in the alley way. I've been in isolation for about two days, give or take I guess. I don't miss him, well, part of me does but that part is about twenty percent. I'm not feeling that vibrant feel I got a while back. I screwed up big time. Crane would tell the other doctors about my confession, I know he will. I don't see myself getting out of here anytime soon though. I guess I deserve to be in here. I've been a nut my whole life. A nut in a sane person's body. But that's the problem, I've never had any records of any criminal activity. Up till now, I've been fine. No motives, nothing. But you've heard my story already. Well...not the whole story, not from the beginning anyway. I was born with a sliver spoon in my mouth. My family was wealthy. Both my parents were only children and so were their parents. My grandparents died before I was born. My mother died after she gave birth to me.  
_

_But I was always different. Not because I was rich or looked strange. I just was. In fact, since the age of seven, I hated being wealthy. Being in public school was the worst. And I knew if I was in some prep private school, it would be more horrible. All I wanted was a mom. But I did my best. I took gymnastics for about six months when I was eight. Played soccer for a year when I was ten. Took karate when I was eleven. I had no friends growing up. I barely had a dad. He was never home. I guess you get tired of hearing all those daddy stories. How dad is never around, blah, blah, blah. Well, one day he forgot to pick me up from school, like he promised. I was eleven, almost twelve. Anyway, I stood out in the rain for tweleve hours. A cop picked me up and took me to the station. I spent the night at the police station. _

_My dad was in a plane accident a week after I turned thirteen. I've been on my own since I was thirteen. When I was in junior high and high school, a couple of kids would follow me home and throw rocks at me. It got so bad that when I was fifteen, they followed me and corned me. I was found on the sidewalk and was rushed to the hospital about an hour later. I got my own apartment at sixteen. I stuck out highschool and went to college early. Stuck out college. Never thought I'd make a mistake in my life. Well, you know what happened afterwords. How the Joker recruited me and what not. How I got all crazy because he was releaving me of my services, even though he never asked me to do anything. I guess I didn't understand what was going on, even in my own head. I drove Rachel Dawes to her death. Then I took off and hid. _

_I came out of hiding a couple of days later, maybe more. I had hidden myself near the docks. I walked aimlessly for hours. I heard things from conversations and read things from the newspaper. I didn't realize I looked like a homeless person with lipstick smeared across my lips. I remember talking to Commissioner Gordon and then leaving to walk around some more. After that, I started to forget and try to move on with my life. Sure the guilt bit at me from time to time but nothing bit at me more than remembering the Joker. I worked at the hospital, starting with small jobs and such. I found myself being the head of the children's ward. Going out on Friday and Saturday nights with Harley, she was truly my only real friend. But of course, the universe is cruel. Harley was taken from me. Every good thing was taken from me. _

_Being in a rubber padded room isn't so bad. At least I'm not in a straight jacket. I lay on my back, arms at my side, legs spread out. I look like I'm about to make a snow angel. I stare up at the ceiling. The ligt above is not bright enough to hurt my eyes. It's so dim, it looks as if it's not even on. I'm not much of a complainer though. A nurse has to come in and give me a needle to help fight off Crane's toxins. I imagine Dr. Arkham isn't too happy to learn what really happened. But they aren't going to do anything about it. Crane's a charmer, he fooled me when he said he wanted to "help" me. I feel angry about being tricked. Batman tricked me, Crane tricked me, god knows if Crane is actually right. I'm nothing to the Joker. I'm just part of the plan. His plan. In many ways, I saw this coming. But as Ace, I was oblivious. _

_I'm an idiot. I've screwed up perfectly. Joker is probably laughing his ass off about it. Seeing how stupid I was. He's laughing it up. He got what he "wanted" from me. No sense in keeping me around. I guess I just lost myself because of all the stuff that happened. Everything happened so quickly. I was vulnerable to the Joker. He used that. It was so easy and I was so stupid not to see it. But I'm strong and I can get through this. Just like when I was younger and on my own, but look where my independence got me. I'm in Arkham. Hurray for me. I'm alone again. Everyone's punching bag. And to make this more enjoyable, I know the identity to who Batman really is and for all it's worth, I still don't understand why Bruce told me. I feel a boiling anger towards him, it's not hate or dislike, it's anger. But luckily for him, I don't stay angry for very long. It depends, usually. _

_I'm also angry towards myself. I don't have low self esteem or depression issues. I just hate myself for being too involved in things. All I wanted was to stay in the back ground, be ordinary. No, it didn't happen. I was meant to mess up and be apart of the big picture. The worse thing that could have happened, I could have died for not doing anything. I did something and now I'm in an asylum. What if I hadn't done anything? Let's say, I wasn't hungry that night. Let's say, some other person went into that store. Someone else would have survived or died at the Joker's hands. I'm still trying to figure out why I'm not dead yet. I'm not that useful. I'm really not. The rubber on the floor is soft on my head. I've stayed in so many different places that I can pretty much sleep anywhere. I want to sleep but...I can't. _

_My eyes are so tired from staying awake, that if I close them, it will hurt. The toxins had made my eyes tear up, made me crazy. I don't feel crazy. I don't feel like blowing up a city or a building. I don't feel like gassing an entire mall just for the heck of it. I don't feel like causing chaos anymore. I'm somewhat confused. My cookies have crumbled, I've lost my marbles and there's no going back and having a normal life style. But for some reason I don't feel insane. I feel just as sane as I did over two months ago. My pride, my respect, my morals, all of that is still hugging tightly in my brain. Something won't let go. Maybe it's me. _

_I close my eyes and my lids feel like hot rocks. But my body relaxes and all I can hear are the faint screams from the other patients. The toxins are still stuck to my blood cells. I can feel them working and massaging my brain. I feel like I'm falling deeper and deeper into a black hole. I wish I could have had this drug some time ago. It makes me happy and yet...I don't know why. I was scared when I felt them but now...I don't know what I'll do without them. They'll wear off in a day or so. I rolled onto my side and placed my left arm beneath my head. That's when I went to sleep. I don't think I've slept this good in a long time. It felt good. _

_Now for the bad part. The part of me that misses the Joker. Like I said, it's a small percent. I miss him because I've spent so much time with him. Being alone isn't a fear of mine. I spent so much time alone when I was younger. Some part of me doesn't like the loneliness. There must be something wrong with me. I'm in denial about my feelings. One minute I don't want to think about him, the next I want to be with him forever. Now I'm back to square one, sort of. A sign. A true sign. A sign that tells me I don't have to worry about anything. That maybe the Joker has the same feelings and I'm just being paranoid. _

_Then again, I'm a complete idiot. Sure I'm smart, good looking, etc. But I think we all know I've never been in a relationship before. I'm going about this the wrong way. I'm falling back into the same trap I was just in. If I throw myself out there, find out I was just being used, I don't think I'll ever face anyone again. Being rejected is hard on everyone, don't deny it. I roll onto my other side as foot steps walk past my cell. Footsteps stop outside. I just ignore it because I know it's just another doctor checking in. Making sure I haven't gone nuts from the isolation. Isolation is great therapy, you get to know yourself better. I know myself and I know I'm a complete loser. _

_Clinking of keys and the sound of the lock being opened wakes me up. Time to eat or get a needle put in my arm. I hear my stomach growl. I don't even know what time it is. The light from the corridor is bright. I squint a little. But then again, the lights from the corridor aren't that bright, my cell is just dark. My eyes get used to the lighting and then my heart rolls out of my chest. Standing there, leaning against the rubber door way is the clown himself. He was holding a set of keys in his right hand. He just stared at me, lips slightly parted a few inches. He must have looked surprised that I didn't throw myself at him. I just sat there stunned. _

_Never in my life would I think that I would be saved from an asylum. I didn't have high hopes for this escape he was planning. I didn't understand. Why wouldn't he just escape? Why would he come back for me? Maybe he got to the front door and forgot he left his baggage behind. I let out a sigh, I didn't know what to say. I didn't want to say anything I didn't mean or something that I would regret. He just stared at me. Like he wanted me to come with him. Didn't he realize the joke was over? That I got it. That he could stop caring about me. That he could leave me behind at any time. But still he just stood in front of me. _

_"You didn't think I'd forget you, did you?", He asks. _

_I slowly get to my feet. What was I doing? I was supposed to be strong. I was supposed to fight the good fight. Make up for my mistakes. I wasn't supposed to give into him, I wasn't supposed to let him control me. But unfortunately, this was the sign I was looking for. But I could be wrong. I let myself stand a good few inches from him. But that was his plan, he would pull me back in. If I tried to act tough and strong, he would make me suffer for it. I should no signs of weakening. I tried to play a straight face. My mind seemed to slip in and out. Butterflies whirled in the inside of my stomach. I tried to act cold. He was doing nothing. Just acting casually, like he was just passing by or something. I watched as he reached for the handle on the door. He shut the door behind him. The door relocked and we were alone. Joker pocket the keys he had stolen and removed his shoes. _

_I kept my arms at my sides as he touched my face and my hair. I tried to keep focused as his lips caressed my cheek and jaw. I tried to act angry. Why was he doing this? Why am I letting this happen, again? Something seemed to snap as his lips pressed against mine. That's when I knew I couldn't fight and win a battle. Not this one anyway. I knew women everywhere would hate me for my act, for what I'd done. Letting myself succumb to a man's will. I felt the rubber floor beneath me a second time. I tried to act like I wasn't enjoying it. I tried to be shocked by my own decision. There was just something about him that seemed to have changed but really hadn't. Whether my ability to get myself in trouble seemed to arouse him or the mere fact he could get me to succumb to his way of life seemed to please him, I couldn't figure it out. _

_I awoke some time later, to find myself in his arms. I felt a wave of guilt and shame. The toxins seemed to wear off and I was thinking clearly again. I just stared at the wall. I was waiting for the doctors to come by and find us. But maybe Joker planned it that way. To make them think he'd escaped. But Batman nor Crane were that stupid. Somebody would figure it out. The first time was out of lust and tension. This time...this time it felt like there was something else. I couldn't let myself be hurt by him. If working for him kept me alive, fine. But him making me feel like I'm something special to him, when I'm really not, that hurts. Big time. I know he cares nothing about me. But him asking me "you didn't think I'd forget you, did you?", makes me think something completely different. It's confusing, it really is. _

_Isolated or not, I'll never be able to forget why I'm still alive. He's the reason and I'm still trying to figure out why. He does what he does for his own reasons. I wish things had turned out differently, if I were a hostage maybe things would be different but it turns out, I'm not a hostage. I'm an accessory, an accessory the Joker likes. _

**Author's Note: HI'S! Okay, I hope this chapter isn't lame. If it is, I'm sorry. Erin is trying to figure out herself and her feelings towards the Joker. I got a couple of e-mails saying that Erin was starting to sound like Harley Quinn. She isn't. I hope this chapter makes Erin sound better. She only missed Joker 20%, that's pretty low. But you are all hoping for a Joker/Erin pairing in the end. I'm trying my best. If Joker sounded OOC, I'm sorry about that too. More next! Read and Review! **


	15. Author's Note

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**GREETINGS FROM GOTHAM!  
**

**I want to congratulate all of you ! Thank you so much for reviewing, putting me on your favorite Author's list, favorite Story's list, and Story alert's list. We are up to 52 reviews and the story is only at Chapter 14. The Joker thanks you for your help and I do as well. Unfortunately, I was asked by the Clown Prince to take a short hiatus. We're hiding from Batman and I don't know when I'll be at my computer again. I also have college and Thanksgiving is Thursday. I wish you all who celebrate Thanksgiving, a happy turkey day. **

**Joker asks all of you to find a friend or a couple of friends who read Batman fanfiction and have them read and review too. He also asks that you drive safely while travling for the holidays. And tell Batman to slow down if you see him on the road. **

**Thank You **

**O O **

**U **

***Smile*  
**


	16. The Break Out

Chapter Fifteen

**The Break Out **

Erin let out a sigh and turned over to face him. She had been staring at the wall for about forty-five minutes now and she knew she had to say something to break the tension. She had thought she was nothing and she knew this to be true but her sign, her one sign had come true within an instint. He had broken out of his cell and had come for her. But there had to be something behind it, with him, there was always a catch. Joker gave her a steady look, his eyes told her nothing she already didn't know but his mouth twitched, he sat up and leaned on his elbow.

"I bet you're thinking I'm only keeping you around so I can throw you under a bus when I get the chance", he paused to lick his lips, "But you're certainly mistaken. I've taken an interest in you. You've made me feel ten times as happy as I've ever been, this must seem confusing to you, doesn't it? How could I feel anything for poor, plain, nothing, you?", he paused again as though he rehearsed this speech, "The fact is, if I can't have you, then know one can. You're special. Among thousands of these people you've got something they'll never have. And that one thing is, rebellion. You've put aside all of your morals, your ethics, your compassion, your justice to do good. You put all that aside to show them that your true potential lies within the bonds of chaos, disorder, pandemonium", he gestured with his right hand as he said these things, "You and I are the only ones who can show them what life really is".

He stood up and started getting dressed. He had, before coming to find her, gotten hold of his clothes he'd been wearing before. He was dressed back in his purples and greens, he put his purple jacket back on last. Erin rose to her feet and began to dress back into the grey prison clothing. She couldn't stop thinking about what he had said. After getting her clothes back on, she noticed he was waiting by the door. She wondered what on earth he could be possibly waiting for. An orderly was coming up the hallway, this very moment. When the orderly unlocked the cell door, Joker punched him across the face, knocking poor guy to the floor. The clown turned back to Erin and roughly grabbed her by the wrist.

Erin didn't struggle as he led her down the corridor and up a flight of stairs to the main floor. Erin tried to figure out where all the guards had gotten to. She got her answer almost amiditely. Several security guards were running towards them. Joker held Erin against him, he took out his knife and held it to her throat, laughing as he did so. The guards stopped dead, not wanting to go any further. With her as a hostage, sort of, Joker made his way to the exit. Out of the guards sight, Joker put the knife away and released Erin. They made their way down the steps to the parking lot. Jonathan Crane was standing at the bottom of the stairs, gun in hand.

"Look who wants play", Joker replied, "Come on, do it. Give in to disorder and pull the trigger!".

Crane would have pulled the trigger but Erin had down a backwards flip down the stairs and struck him in the face with her foot. She landed on her feet beside and unconcious Crane. The gun had slid away from him. Erin picked it up and took the amunition out of the gun. She dropped the amunition and the gun to the ground. She stepped on the gun, breaking it. The gun was plastic and the ammunition wasn't a bullet but more toxins. Erin stood over Crane.

"Didn't you know guns don't kill people, they just make messes", She replied shaking her head.

Joker flew down the stairs two at a time. He pulled her into a hug, if you could call it that. The two were able to leave the parking lot without so much as Batman showing up. The bat would be alerted within minutes. Gotham lay unprepared as Joker and Erin made their way back into town within a few hours. It was slow going, Erin knew Joker wanted to be in the spot light and want Batman to be informed. Erin had mixed emotions about what was happening. One moment she didn't care if she saw the Joker again, the next she was kicking Crane in the face because she didn't want him to hurt Joker.

Erin followed the clown like a good little companion she was. She didn't have a choice in the matter either. _"If I can't have you, then no one can". _She couldn't leave him, not after hearing that. His way of life depened on her, he needed her, whether he really meant it or not. He needed her and she needed him. She had to face it. He was the spice in her life and she was his sugar. Two peas in a pod. Two of a kind. However you want to look at it. The break out had been thrilling but she wandered if that's how he had done it last time. This time it seemd he had improvised, using her as a shield. Yet again, here she was saving his butt.

She had to admit it was nice to breath the fresh air again. The wind blew her hair and she let in a breath of air. Although, being in there, feeling the toxins that Crane had used on her, making love to the Joker while in a padded cell, it gave her a weird feeling. Not a bad weird but a good weird. She felt almost like her old self but with a new kick in her step. It confused her on so many levels, this whole life of hers. She was too far gone to help, for some reason she didn't care, on one aspect she did care. She was straining to keep thinking clearly while carrying out any orders Joker might have. Right now, she didn't know what to think.

It seemed like hours before they were back in Gotham. Erin heard her stomach grumble, she placed her hands on it. She was tired and hungry. She was in no mood to complain, sufficed to say that Joker had just saved her from Crane and the loony bin in one go. Joker turned to her, standing sideways, head bent sideways as well. His hair falling at an angle. Erin stopped touching her stomach, which gave another grumble of hunger.

"Your hungry", Joker replied randomly turning away from her.

Erin watched him as he looked around the street they were on. He then crossed the street, swaying as he walked, he looked drunk in her opinion. Erin followed closely, nervous he might fall over from exhaustion. But him being tired was hard to tell. He never yawned or anything. Erin stopped walking when she noticed he was approaching a bakery store. Joker punched the window on the door. He fished his arm through the window and unlocked the door. He went into the bakery and came out a moment later. Apparently he had killed the alarm before it could wake up anyone of importance. As he walked past her, he handed her a muffin. Erin took it, he didn't wait for her to thank him and kept on walking. Erin devoured the muffin as she closely followed him.

Joker retraced their steps and they were able to find an abandoned apartment they had once previously occupied. It looked untouched. Joker went into the bathroom, while Erin preoccupied herself with finishing her muffin. She tossed aside the wrapper and laid down on the couch, the only piece of furniture in the apartment, other then what was in the bathroom. Joker came out of the bathroom to find her asleep. He took off his jacket and put it over her like a blanket. He then walked over to the window and stood there, staring out into the city. His hands in his pockets and his reflection grinning back at him.

Erin awoke a couple of hours later. She sat up and saw the Joker standing by the window. She slipped his coat over her arms and walked over. She didn't want to disrupt his train of thought. She leaned against his shoulder, her mouth making contact with the side of his arm. He seemed much taller, more masculine. She let her lips press lightly against his shirt. Through the reflection of the window, he saw her at his side. He didn't turn to look at her but staring at her, using the window. The sun was coming up and Gotham would wake up, thinking it was a wonderful day but it wasn't. All of those disgusting rats would turn on the news and know that he had broken out, again. The bat would have to come out of hiding to seek him out. And Joker would there, waiting.

**Author's Note: YA! UPDATED CHAPTER! Sorry it's short but Joker doesn't want to give away too much! R & R! **


	17. Erin's Turn

Chapter Sixteen

**Erin's Turn **

_Everything's so blurry  
and everyone's so fake_

Erin waited until Joker had stopped being so restless. She waited until the muscels in his body had stopped twitching endlessly, how warm she had felt leaning against him, quietly massaging his shoulders, she didn't say a word, she just let him be. Finally, he shrugged her off and layed down on the bare couch. He had slipped off his shoes and just rested his feet up on the arm of the couch. She took off his jacket and covered him just as he had done to her hours before.

_and everybody's empty  
and everything is so messed up_

Erin moved towards the doorway. She turned back to look at him. He'd have to forgive her. She had decided to make a sacrifice, for both of them. Batman would always hunt him and Joker wouldn't stop looking for ways to piss him off. She had to end it. She wasn't going back to Arkham, especially not after what happened with Crane. It hurt her to leave him but if she could get Batman into believing she was the Joker, maybe the real Joker wouldn't get as badly hurt. It's a sacrifice she was ready to make. She would take the pain and the abuse.

_pre-occupied without you  
I cannot live at all_

She left the apartment building and made her way down the street. He would be angry with her later but she'd worry about that when the time came. She had to do something, for the both of them. She knew she had to save the Joker and she knew the only way to do it was by herself. She made her way onto the streets of Gotham. The sun was awaking the city with it's yellowish glow. The first thing she had to over come, was to not get caught. This was easy enough, nobody knew about the break out. Word would get out soon though, so she had to act fast.

_My whole world surrounds you  
I stumble then I crawl_

She knew the entire city like a map drawn on the back of her hand. The mall was the perfect place to operate. Nobody questioned anyone when you were in the mall, whether you were insane or not. Getting to the mall was a different story. Eventually, about an hour later, Erin was at the entrance of the mall. The only thing was, she didn't have any cash.

"Great. No what?" She asked herself.

She felt helpless, more than usual but she had to be strong, if she was going to carry out her plan, she had to think on her feet. A middle aged man was passing her, he was going through so much things he was carrying, something dropped on the ground but he wasn't paying attention, so he didn't turn around to pick it up. Erin went over to see what it was he had dropped. An ATM card. Perfecto! Normally, her caring side would run after him to return it. But chaos and disorder seemed much more fun, plus she was in a hurry.

_You could be my someone  
you could be my scene_

Erin walked into the mall, there was a bank in the mall. Well, not a bank per say, but an ATM machine. It was early, so nobody was around. Erin took at least one hundred dollars out of the guy's account. The lucky thing about the prison pants she was wearing, they had pockets. Unsual by Arkham's standereds but apparently those guys trusted her than most other criminals. Now for the sappy part where she returns said ATM card to the lost and found. She slipped the card into the lost and found box and made her way to find an open store.

She need clothes. Some retail store was open on her right, two middle age women who looked like they just graduated college were at the cash register shooting the breeze. Erin made her way to the guys department. She found a purple jacket, a green long sleeved collared shirt, a purple vest and a green tie. Next shoes. She found a pair of black plain shoes with laces, perfect. Next socks. Purple socks with green diamonds. Pants was her last item. She found purple slacks. Erin walked around the store and found make-up. Red lipstick, perfect. They also had face paint, great. She also grabbed some scissors and some green hair coloring.

_you know that i'll protect you  
from all of the obscene_

Erin approached the counter with her items. The woman who rang her up looked half awake. Everything came up to $59.67. Erin handed the woman sixty dollars and told her to keep the change. Erin went into the woman's bathroom, luckily there wasn't anyone in here. Erin stood in front of the sink and took out the scissors. She cut her hair until the ends just neatly touched the top of her shoulders. Next she cut off all the tags off each of the items, making sure the brand names and the prices were gone. Even the shoes gave no distinction of what brand they were. After that, she took out the make up and the green hair coloring.

After putting on the make up, she dressed in each of the items she bought. After dressing, she threw away the gray prison clothes, the scissors, the price tags, the make-up, the hair coloring can and the hair she had cut. She placed the money she had left in her pants pocket. Her clothes were so baggy and the make up was done just right, it was hard to tell if she was even herself anymore. Erin left the mall within the next ten seconds. She made her way to a weapons store and bought a switch blade, three gernades, and two guns, one was loaded with amunition, the other wasn't. Her next stop was a joke shop. She bought a can of laughing gas. She then made her way to a couple of other stores where she bought some duct tape, a screw driver, a can of rodent poison, and a mallot.

_I wonder what you're doing  
imagine where you are_

Carrying her bag of tricks, she found an alleyway where she worked quickly. She used the screw driver to open up the guns, she took out some amunition pellots and filled with mixed laughing gas and poison. Now both guns were deadly. She put the gernades safely on the inside of her jacket, using the duct tape. She strapped the two guns on the inside of her vest, using the the duct tape. She bought a sword holder and placed that and the mallot on her back. The switch blade was in her right jackt pocket. With everything secure. She had to find a way to get the bat's attention.

_there's oceans in between us  
but that's not very far_

The bat signal was the only thing she could think of. But she had heard they had destroyed it. No matter. It was time to do a little improvising. She decided to bring the screwdriver and duct tape with her. The light signal had to be a top the police station. If they saw her, she'd be caught. Luckily there was a fire escape on the other side of the building. How else would they be able to get up there? Erin climbed up to the top of the building. She kept close the old light signal. But it looked like the Commissioner had done some work of his own. The bat signal had been re-built. She put the screw driver and duct on the other side of the signal, since she didn't need them anymore. Now, how to turn this little baby on?

_Can you take it all away  
can you take it all away  
well ya shoved it in my face  
this pain you gave to me  
Can you take it all away  
can you take it all away  
well ya shoved it my face_

Erin walked around the signal light until she found a little flip switch. The light came alive at once. It wasn't as bright as it would have been at night but it was close enough. Now to wait. Erin leaned against the big signal, arms crossed. She kept her eyes closed and a cool, relaxed look on her face. It hurt so much to do this alone but it was the only way. As much as she hated to admit it, she loved the Joker. She was doing this for him and for herself. Batman had hurt her way before she became like this. Now it was pay back time. Ace was gone, never to come back, she was herself again but herself was gone too. Her mind was like a light switch, if it was turned on, many things could happen, for no reason. Erin opened her eyes as foot steps approached her. She turned to her left to see Batman standing there, eyes narrowed, face cold as ice. Body held tightly. She smirked viciously. Time to tear him apart. She placed her hands in her pants pockets, trying to act as though this was casual, he had no idea what he was in for. She liked the idea of his body laying bloodied, begging for her to spare him.

"I know you're not the Joker", Batman replied gruffly and then added, "Erin".

**Author's Note: Dun..Dun..Dun! Okay Batman vs. Erin NEXT! Chapter Seventeen: Erin's Sacrifice. The question now is: Will the Joker show up to help her fight Batman or is she on her own? Hope the chapter was alright. Read and Review! **


	18. Erin's Sacrafice

Chapter Seventeen

**Erin's Sacrafice **

_I just grinned lazily at the Bat, sure I had two guns full of posion and sure I had a few gernades but I knew not even those could stop him. But I wasn't going to let him intimidate me. Gotham stood quiet and all I could think of was all those no-nothings standing down below, watching and waiting to see if Batman was going to catch whomever was atop the Gotham Police Department. What they didn't know was that I held the secret to Bruce Wayne's identity, what they didn't know was that I was once like them, what they didn't know was that anarchy's ace-trump card. Sorry, Erin knightly isn't here to tell them that everything will work out fine. She's dead. _

"How long did it take you to figure that out", Erin replied in soft voice, "Bruce", she added this with a vicious smirk.

She could play that card whenever she wanted. Maybe she'd tell the Joker this little secret, she wanted to share it so badly. But she knew it wasn't her secret to tell but she'd spill any beans if the Joker asked her to share whatever was on her mind. He knew too. He always knew. She could hide nothing from him, ever since that night they had made love, he could read her quicker than a novel. But he always kept himself in the shadows, letting her catch a peak of himself every so often. He was still a mystery after all this time.

"Erin, this isn't funny anymore", Bruce slipped off the mask, thinking he could use this as an advantage, "Joker hurt a lot of people".

"Sorry Brucie but I've already heared that speech. Joker isn't going back to Arkham and neither am I!", Erin replied slipping her mallet from it's carrier which was on her back. She took off the carrier and tossed it aside.

Bruce sighed and slipped his mask back on. Erin was too far gone for anyone to get any sense back into her. She was too confused and upset. Her mind was too messed up and the only way for her to understand is if he fought her, like she had intended him to do. She came at him with the mallet. He grabbed her wrist but she kneed him in the stomach, Bruce was winded but only for a second. The new Bat suite was costumed made to withstand any threats of any kind. Erin took this moment to escape his grasp and whack him in the chest with the mallet. Batman fell backward onto his back but this gave him a slight advantage, he kicked up one of his legs and kicked the mallet out of her hands.

Erin went to grabe the mallet but Batman was quicker, he kicked it out of her reach and grabbed her around the waist. Erin scratched him in the face and then punched him. He let go of her but he grabbed a bat-a-rang and threw it. It caught her around the ankels and she tripped, smacking her head on the roof top. Batman stood over her and picked her up by the scruff of her jacket. This gave him the oppertunity to get rid of the jacket. He took the jacket off of Erin and tossed it over the side of the building, along with the mallet. Commissioner Gordon and a few other cops caught the items. Erin got back onto her hands and knees. Her painted face was smeared and slightly bloodied but nothing looked broken.

"You can give up, you have a choice!", Batman exclaimed.

"You won't kill me. I know you won't. It's him, you see. You can't because of him", Erin muttered, taking gasps of breath.

"He's not here. You're all by yourself. He doesn't have to know about what you did. I can protect you", Batman replied.

"I don't need your protection! I don't need anyone but him!", Erin yelled.

"Dieing for him won't prove anything, you're playing his game, it's what he wants", Bruce muttered coldly.

Erin glared at the bat. Didn't he get it? Joker wasn't going to let her die, he wasn't going to let anyone else hurt her. Only in part did she fully trust him, the rest of her, not so much. But it didn't matter, her sacrafice would make all the difference. To her, it made a difference. It was suicide to everyone else. Bruce heard Harvey Dent's words still ringing in his ears, as though it were yesterday, '_you either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain'. _Bruce didn't want Erin to meet the same fate Dent did.

The wind began to pick up and any noises went unheard. Batman, however, could hear footsteps on the fire escape just behind him. Erin was too busy glaring at him to notice though. Joker had been able to sneak through the crowd and up onto the fire escape, he knew he wouldn't go unnoticed for long. Joker stepped over the last step and onto the roof. He was fresh and re-newed, so to speak, from his nap he'd taken. It hadn't taken him long to track down his leading lady, the bat-signal being on had given him a clue as to where she was. He gave her credit and admired her for her bravery. He'd reward her later.

"Aren't we all full of surprises?" Joker asked in a whisper and to no one in particular.

Erin and Batman turned to find him standing there, shoulders slumped slightly, he was in a relaxed, non-threatning stance but he could be threatning if he really wanted to be. Erin was the most shocked to find him here. She hadn't wanted to come to her rescue, he wasn't supposed to be here when she...she didn't want to say it. Because if she did, it would be real. Joker had his hands in his coat pockets, he took something out, something that looked much like a dentinator.

"Did you know I like explosions?" Joker asked, resting his eyes on Batman, "I really do. I like cheap things that can blow up with a push of a button. I uh..think you'll like this one".

Batman ran at the Joker to grab the dentinator but Erin caught it before Batman could react.

"So, who wants to play 'push the red button', I do", Joker exclaimed laughing.

"Erin, don't. Listen to reason and don't do what he says", Batman snarled.

"I think", Joker said, he walked over to stand beside her, "I think you really want to push it".

He stood in front of her, cupping her face in his hands. Tilting her chin up and letting her eyes stare back into his. He whiped some of her make up away from her mouth, so her lips were exposed once more. He leaned in closely, almost touching them.

"I never told you what I truly believe in. I believe in anarchy, disorder, chaos. I also believe in you. In what we stand for. I admire your little ideas you seemed to get when I'm not around, very admirable. But I just wanted to you to know...", pause, "...I just wanted you to know that I'm not walking away from this without you. Whatever you might hear, someone tells you that you mean nothing and I mean _nothing _to me, they're lying. I...I'm not lying. I'm a man of my word", another pause, "So, push that button and show them what your sacrafice really means", Joker muttered.

"I don't...", Erin trailed off.

"Trust me? What if I told you that I love you?" Joker asked.

"You...what?" Erin asked, unsure if she really heard what he had said.

"I love you", Joker whispered.

He pressed his mouth against hers. They shared a deep rooted passionate kiss. While in the moment, Erin forgot about the dentinator, her thumb was up against the red button and that's when the unexpected happened.....

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

**Author's Note: I had to write this chapter. God, I hope this didn't suck eggs. I hope everything was the way you pictured it or something close enough. Erin was ready to sacrafice everything but Joker showed up to make things interesting. Sorry it wasn't a long chapter. I'm trying not to write too long of a chapter but not too short either. 'K Read and Review! **

**I WANT TO PERSONALLY THANK ALL OF YOU FOR THE REVIEWS! WE ARE AT SIXTY-SOMETHING I THINK. THE LAST TIME I CHECKED WE WERE AT 65 REVIEWS! YA!!!!!**


	19. Back From The Dead

Chapter Eighteen

**Back From The Dead**

_I remember holding onto him as the building began to collapsed underneath our feet. I remember I started to cry into his chest, I remember I didn't want to die. I felt Joker's arms wrap around me as I felt him push off with his feet. We were air born and time seemed to stop. The building that was on the other side of the Gotham Police Department had tinted glass windows and it was only3 or 5 feet away. I remember how high pitched my scream was, I can still hear myself screaming ringing in my ears. How we didn't fall to the ground first, I'm not sure. Joker was doing all the leaping. He hit the glass first and then we rolled, I never touched the glass once. We rolled across the rug that broke our fall. How we survived, I'm not quit sure either. I can feel his body still pressed to mine, his arms are up above my head, he's propped up on his elbows and knees. I'm staring at the window we just fell through, it's broken, all the way to the top. _

_I feel the heat of my tears on my face. I hear sirens from far away. My heart can't stop beating in my chest. I don't dare move. There are pieces of glass everywhere. I don't know what to say, this is real and I don't know how else to put it. Joker leans down and just barley touches my cheek with his nose. His nose feels cold and turn to look at him. We walked away from that together. We survived something so big but I'm afraid to find out who didn't. And there's something about breaking the laws of physics that seems rather fun. We cheated death, the both of us. This makes me wish Rachel Dawes hadn't died. But thanks to me, she did. I know in my heart I have to stop beating myself up for that but as a human, it's something I'll never forget. I lift my head up off the ground and kiss the side of Joker's neck, just a small peck really. I rest my head back on the floor because it feels too heavy to lift. Gordon and his men arrive moments later and hand cuff Joker and I. We're being taken to the hospital for medical attention. I get to ride in one of the ambulances with Gordon. _

_The last time I saw him was two years ago. Even when he talked with me, I bet he saw my soul being swallowed whole by the destiny that had been placed in front of me. I just stared at the ceiling of the ambulance bus, I felt Gordon's hand touch mine. His fingers were light and kind. It hurt though, for him to touch me. Not that I didn't want him to but because I'm sure there were pieces of glass that had gotten into my skin at some point. I can't say I didn't touch any once Joker and I had rolled across the ground. I shifted my head to one side and met Gordon's eyes. Those same genuine eyes that I saw that night two years ago. He just gave me a small smile. How could he possibly be nice to me after all the horrible things I've done? I don't understand how they still treat me the same after I've been with the Joker. Batman wants to protect me and Gordon is acting like I just fell off a ladder. Human sympathy was a strange thing. It really is._

The ride to the hospital was silent for both Erin and Joker. Joker didn't exactly get the same treatment as Erin. He sat up right, cuffs on his ankles and wrists. Six police officers riding with him. Gordon was the only one who rode with Erin. When they got to the hospital, they were separated into two different hospital rooms. To Erin's added frustration of being separated from the Joker, Bruce Wayne showed up about twenty minutes later. A vase of flowers in his hands. According to the doctor, who was looking after Erin, had found sixteen shards of glass on Erin's person. No bones were broken, luckily. When the doctor left the room, Bruce set the vase of flowers on the stand next to her bed.

"Come to rub it in?" Erin asked quietly and rather calmly.

_you could have gotten killed _is what he wanted to say but instead Bruce replied, "I'm glad you're alive".

They were left with that because Jim Gordon came into the room about a minute later. His hands in his pants pockets. Gordon told Bruce that there will be no visiting hours for the next twenty four hours. Bruce left and Erin sat back against the pillows on her bed. Joker was led into the room with an escort of three police officers. He sat down in the chair next to the bed and they re-shackled his ankels. Gordon stayed in the room while the other officers stood guard outside. Gordon leaned against the wall next to the door. About a minute of standing he grabbed one of the other chairs in the room and sat in it. Joker looked over his shoulder at Gordon and then turned back to Erin. Erin reached out and took a lock of his hair between her thumb and fore finger.

"Do you trust me now?" Joker asked quietly.

"I didn't before but now...but now I do", Erin replied.

Joker pressed his lips together and made a slight smacking noise with them. His tongue pushing against his inner cheek. He shook his head a bit and then looked down at the floor and then up at Erin again.

"Why'd you do it?" Joker asked.

"Why'd I do what?" She asked.

"You know...dress up like me and make the Batman think you were me", Joker said.

"I did it because I thought if he thought I was you, you could do whatever you wanted and you wouldn't...and you wouldn't be hurt like I was", Erin exclaimed.

Joker paused for a moment, he then stared down at his hands, "You could have died", was all he said without looking at her.

"You could have too", She pointed out.

Joker raised his head and looked at her. Remembering being in almost the same situation two years previously. Harvey Dent's hospital room. Bringing Harvey down to his level. Now, however, he was sitting here talking to the woman whom he had brought down to his level, just as easily. He didn't presaude her or put a gun in her hand. He had shown her his trust and capability of doing things without reason. She had followed him without question, given her body and soul to him, let him see the real her. He had stripped her of every remaining skin cell that had been her but he would not let her die, he would not throw her aside and he would not let anyone hurt her. He understood what made her special but he didn't understand, not completely anyway, why he let her become an attachment.

"It's a risk I was willing to take", He explained, his shoulders hunched forward.

He never really sat up straight, he was always hunched forward. He liked to be relaxed. He was even relaxed when he was taking risks. Risks is what made the world fun. He was always calm during any situation, unless someone got in his way, then he'd become violent and dangerous. As of right now, he was relaxed. For now, anyway. Erin rested her arms across her stomach, folding them just so. He looked at her for a moment. Her make up was broken and cracked, ready to be risened off. Her hair was slightly green and slightly red. He ventured with the idea that if he hadn't showen up, she'd have died anyway. He then guessed if she died, he did to. He was joyess that they had survived such an explosion. He cheated death again, she had cheated death a second time, maybe her third if you counted her brief mix with Crane's toxins.

"I believe you...about what you said", Erin replied softly.

"Forget it", Joker exclaimed quietly.

"But I haven't had the chance to..."She stopped as he looked at her and then finished, "...say it back".

Joker stood up, behind him Gordon did to but Joker made no move to hurt Erin. Even so, Gordon stayed standing. Joker leaned over her, touching her cheek gently with his right index finger. He gently stroked her cheek.

"I want you to forget about what I said. You're alive and that's all that matters", Joker muttered.

He turned shuffled himself towards the door. Gordon opened the door. Erin sat up, her eyes almost filled with tears, she held them back. She hated crying, it made her weak. But she was upset, how could he ask her to forget?

"I love you!", Erin called after him.

Joker stopped and turned slowly to look at her over his shoulder. Head tilted back ever so slightly. He opened his mouth and then closed it. He turned around and shuffled himself back over to her. He sat down the side of her bed. He leaned in, whispering so only she could hear.

"I know", Joker replied.

With that, he let the guards take him back to his hospital room. Gordon stayed with Erin until she fell asleep. With no ones notice he took the elevator down to the parking garage, the bat car was already waiting. Batman stood just beside it as the Commissioner approached him. Gordon didn't want to make the bat an outcast, it was just the way things were meant to be.

"How's she doing?" Batman asked.

"Fine. There's something going on between her and the Joker though. Something much deeper than meets the eye", Gordon exclaimed.

"Joker isn't going to part with her. He's killed maybe over twenty people in Gotham. He isn't going to kill her, he's not going to let her die and he isn't going to let her go. Something tells me he's got more on his mind than rotten banana's for people to step on", Batman said.

"What are you going to do?" Gordon asked scuffing his foot against the dirty cement floor.

"The best way I know how", Batman replied, "Endure".

With that Batman left. Gordon left the parking garage and returned to the main part of the hospital. As he headed down the hallway, someone bumped into him. Someone with partly blonde hair.

"Sorry", Gordon said but then stopped himself.

He turned on his heel and whirled around, the man was gone. "_Dent?" _Gordon thought to himself. Gordon shook off the feeling and headed down the hallway. He was in need of using the restroom. In her hospital room, Erin was sound asleep. Footsteps came into her room and the door shut softly. The lights were dimed down, almost into darkness. She felt something against her cheek and her eyes opened. She caught sight of it out of the corner of her eye. It was a gun. She sat up but was pushed back down. The over head light turned on. She was face to face with a man who burnt all the way down his left side, while the other was very handsome. _"What am I in, the Twighlight Zone?" _She thought.

"Har..Harvey Dent?" She asked, slightly taken aback, "But I thought...?"

"I was dead? Harvey is", the man replied, "But Two-Face isn't".

With his burnt to the bone left hand he fished out a coin, one side shiny, the other scarred.

"Let's see if you're luck is just as good as mine, hm?" Two-Face asked.

With that, he flipped the coin. It landed shiny side up in the palm of his hand.

**TO BE CONTINUED.....**

**Author's Note: Okay? What the hell just happened? Oh, I'm the one writing this story. Sorry. 'K, Erin and Joker survived the explosion and Dent isn't as dead as we thought. Just a little twist I was going to save for last but I think this is much better. I have author powers, don't question me. If anyone has problems with this, I'm sorry. For Dent fans, rock on! READ AND REVIEW!  
**


	20. Two Face

Chapter Nineteen

**Two-Face **

The lights were dimmed down, almost into darkness. She felt something against her cheek and her eyes opened. She caught sight of it out of the corner of her eye. It was a gun. She sat up but was pushed back down. The over head light turned on. She was face to face with a man who burnt all the way down his left side, while the other was very handsome. _"What am I in, the Twilight Zone?" _She thought.

"Harvey..Harvey Dent?" She asked, slightly taken aback, "But I thought...?"

"I was dead? Harvey is", the man replied, "But Two-Face isn't".

With his burnt to the bone left hand he fished out a coin, one side shiny, the other scarred.

"Let's see if you're luck is just as good as mine, hm?" Two-Face asked.

With that, he flipped the coin. It landed shiny side up in the palm of his hand.

Erin sighed with relief but she wasn't out of the woods yet. Not by a long shot. Two-Face grabbed her by the wrist and roughly pulled her to her feet. Erin knew not to struggle, you don't ever struggle when someone is holding a gun. He pulled her against him and put his hand over her mouth.

"Open the door, walk out and don't try anything", Two-Face replied.

Erin nodded and he let her go. She opened the hospital room door and walked out into the hallway. The officers standing out in the hallway turned and went to grab their guns but then lowered them when they saw her walk out. Erin just stood there, acting as though everything were normal. Two-Face walked out behind her.

"I want to see the Joker. Now", Two-Face exclaimed.

Two guards went into the room they were standing just outside. Gordon came around the corner a moment later, he saw two of his men bringing the Joker out of his hospital room. Gordon ran up to see what was going on. He stopped when he saw Erin and....Dent? Joker didn't seem so shocked upon seeing him.

"Harvey Dent, nice to see you're still up movin' around", Joker said smiling a little.

"Harvey's dead. It's just Two-Face now", He replied.

"Well...I'm glad I could be of some help. How have you been anyway?" Joker asked casually, "Cause you look good".

"You lied about Gordon killing Rachel. You killed Rachel", Two-Face exclaimed, "You took someone I loved. Now I'm taking someone you love".

"Now hold on, hold on. You aren't going to kill her, are you?" Joker asked.

Erin's eyes went wide with horror. Was this man, Two-Face, thinking of doing just that? She didn't want to die, not at anyone's hands anyway. She always thought she'd live a long life and then die from natural causes or something.

"Killing her would defeat my purpose. No, I have something else in mind. Something that would make you suffer", Two-Face replied gruffly, "Since you took Rachel from me, permanently. I think I'll keep Ms. Knightly here as a keepsake".

Two-Face turned away from the Joker, taking Erin with him. Gordon stepped forward now, hands out stretched, as though he were trying to reason with him.

"Dent, don't do this", Gordon begged.

Two-Face listened to the Commissioner but then started walking again. Gordon knew that letting his men go after Dent would endanger Erin in the process. Gordon looked sideways at the Joker. The clown's face looked ridged. Hatred and malice spread across his face. His eyes burned and something seemed to have made the Joker go back to his old destructive pattern. Joker's hands had balled themselves up and they were shaking. He was fuming and his mouth twitched. Gordon had never seen him like this. Two-Face had done his damage and the tables were now turned.

Erin was somewhat dragged out of the hospital and out into the streets of Gotham. A car was sitting just beside the curb, looking somewhat ominous in the dark. Two-Face pushed her towards it. Erin went to get into the passenger seat but he pulled her back.

"I want you to drive", He told her but something about his voice was off now that they weren't in the hospital anymore.

Erin walked around the other side and got into the driver's seat. Once he was in the seat beside her, she pulled the car away from the curb and drove down the road. She been used to driving a stick shift but this was a different kind of car, it felt different and moved differently too. Two-Face told her to take a couple of rights and then a left. They were soon in front of a ritzy apartment building. They got out of the car and went inside.

"Is this where you live?" She asked, feeling a little nervous about her sudden abduction.

"Used to", He replied.

He gave her a little push towards the elevator. When they got to the fifth floor, Two-Face walked over to one of the mats and lifted it up. He picked up a key and inserted it into the door knob that the mat was in front of. Erin went inside first, it look like an average apartment but with glamor benefits. Two-Face closed the door and locked it as he followed her inside. He nodded for her to sit down. Erin sat down on the couch and just put her hands in her lap. She was still wearing the hospital gown and her socks. Two-Face put his gun back into his coat pocket and started playing with his coin.

"How did you know my name?" Erin asked quietly.

"I read about you in the newspaper", He exclaimed, standing with his back to her.

"Just to set the record straight, Joker didn't kill Rachel. I did", Erin said.

He turned to look at her. The right side of his face still had human-male flesh, light blond hair and a blue eye. The other side, the burnt and scarred side, had a dark, almost red eye. Hair was burnt off here and there. His suit on that side was burnt with ash, making his suit on that side darker.

"You didn't kill her", He muttered finally.

"I drove her to the place where she did die, how is that different?" Erin asked.

"I just know that you didn't kill Rachel", He explained.

He looked at her. Beneath the make up and the cheap hair dye, she was a beautiful woman. Keeping her would make the Joker suffer for what he did. Turing her against the Joker, helping him instead, that would be interesting. It seemed that if the Joker could manipulate her, it would be much easier to manipulate her more human side. Two-Face just had to find what her more human side was. He walked over and sat down on the wooden coffee table. He put his hand beneath her chin.

"Do you have a bathroom I could use?" Erin asked feeling very uncomfortable.

"On the left", He replied, nodding with his head.

He let her up and she went into to the bathroom. He stood by the door, listening to the water in the sink run. The hot water and soap felt good on her skin. After the make up was off, she went over to the shower and turned that on. She had to wash out the cheap green hair dye. After about five minutes or so, her beautiful hair was back to it's normal dark red color. She found a blow-dryer beneath the sink. She blew-dry her hair until it was curly and dry. But unfortunately, she had cut her wonderful hair. Her hair was now shoulder length, oh well, it would grow again in the coming months. She got back into her socks and her hospital gown. When she came out of the bathroom, she found him waiting by the door. He was casually rolling his coin between this looked up as she came out of the bathroom. Something about him made her uneasy, she was glad that he was going to spare her but she wished she was back at the hospital, still asleep. How she was able to drag another man into her life was beyond her. The only man in her life had been the Joker and that seemed like enough. But Bruce Wayne and Commissioner Gordon and now, Two-Face were apart of this and she didn't know exactly how she was going to survive any of it. She just wanted to be with the Joker and wanted them to leave her there anything wrong with that?

**Author's Note: How is Erin going to get out of this one? She just doesn't seem to catch a break. Don't worry there is no Dent/Erin. (Unless someone out there is twisted enough to think that would add some drama to this.) But otherwise I hope you are enjoying this. Sorry for this chapter being short. READ AND REVIEW! :) **


	21. Is There Room For Two?

Chapter Twenty

(A/N: ryuzaki25 had a good idea. I'm going to add some drama to this story. Harvey is going to develope feelings for Erin but Erin loves Joker and Joker loves her. I just want to twist with the idea that Harvey still hasn't gotten over Rachel's death and blah, blah, blah. You get the picture!. Thanks for the idea ryuzaki25!)

- -

_I felt bad for Harvey, he lost someone he really cared about and he wasn't going to let me blame myself. He blames Joker for lying and causing this big mess. In Harvey's...sorry...in Two-Face's anger, he took me from the Joker, keeping me so the Joker would suffer the loniness he himself had suffered. Two-Face isn't going to kill like I suspected him to. Wouldn't the point be to kill me to see how it feels for someone else lose someone they cared about? No, lucky me. Another man wants me kept alive. I don't see what makes me so special. I can see why Joker wants me kept alive but I don't understand why Harvey does. _

Erin walked around Dent's apartment. Nothing from the usual. Comfortable and cozy. He had found a pair of sweat pants and a white long sleeved shirt for her to wear and that was much better than the hospital gown she had been in earlier. Erin walked over to a small entertainment center, it was actually a radio but it came with speakers, so guessed it was. Of all the places she had stayed, she hadn't acquired anything this nice before. She looked over her shoulder, Harvey was in the nook area, making her something to eat. She had declined his offer earlier but he insisted she eat something, then his other half, Two-Face, made a joke about the hospital's cafeteria food. Stuff will kill ya or something like that. She had giggled at this remark but she didn't want to seem too open with him. She already found love or something along those lines. Joker was one of a kind and you don't just throw that away once you've got it.

She ran her fingers along the radio and pushed on of the buttons. It was in her nature to be curious..about everything. The radio turned on but it was on a low setting. She looked for the dial, it was to her right and she turned it. The music, coming from the radio, became audioable. _I love this song_ she thought as the music began to make her shake her hips side to side.

**_I said, hey boy sittin in your tree  
Mummy always wants you to come for tea  
Don't be shy, straighten up your tie  
Get down from your tree house sittin in the sky _**

With hearing the radio being turned on, Harvey looked slowly over his shoulder. Erin was moving in a rather crazy fashion, as though she were at a rock concert or something. So, there was something she did like. Leaving what he was doing, Harvey walked over and took her hands in his. They began to dance about the room.

_**I wanna know just what to do  
Is it very big is there room for two ?  
I got a house with windows and doors  
I'll show you mine if you show me yours**_

_**Gotta let me in, hey, hey, hey  
Let the fun begin hey  
I'm the wolf today hey, hey, hey  
I'll huff I'll puff  
I'll huff I'll puff and blow you away**_

_**Say you will say you won't  
Say you'll do what I don't  
Say you're true, say to me c'est la vie**_

_**Do you play with the girls, play with the boys ?  
Do you ever get lonely playing with your toys ?  
We can talk, we can sing  
I'll be the queen and you'll be the king **_

Harvey turned so his back was to the radio, he reached behind him and turned down the radio, so the audio was barely a whisper of noise. Erin laughed hard as they turned in a waltzing sort of jig. She leaned against his shoulder, her head thrown back and her hair seemed to slip away from her shoulders. She hadn't had this fun in ages. She wasn't aware of Harvey's true intentions as he danced with her. They stopped at last and her head fell against his shoulder. Her cheeks hurt from laughing so much but to feel her smile spread across her face again, it felt good, but it made her miss Joker as well.

Harvey placed his hand on the small of her back and just held her against him. Sure he missed Rachel but this..this felt good. It felt better, much more better. He could tell that Erin was just as confused as he was. She hadn't been in the situation Rachel had been in. Rachel had to choose between him and Bruce Wayne. Where as Erin was just happily attached to the Joker. Two-Face wanted to rip her from the Joker. She was safe here, with him. Not out there, where she could get hurt or worse, end up like Rachel did. He let his hand slip to her hair, feeling how soft it was. How red it was, how dark it was, like fire.

_"Don't get attached", _the small voice in his head replied.

_"But I think I...", _Harvey thought about it for a moment and then realized, _"...love her". _

_"__Even so...'we' can't let her go back to that psychotic clown", _Two-Face fought back.

Erin looked up at him. He seemed to be concentrating about something. The left side of his face was gazing at her, while other side seemed to be mulling things over. She found this a bit odd and creepy for the most part. She stared down at the floor, listening to his faint breathing. She then looked back up at him as he placed a finger beneath her chin. The left side seemed to be doing the thinking this time, leaving only the right to watch. Erin couldn't bring herself to look away from him. He seemed to be thinking the same thing as he looked back at her. He leaned in, his mouth almost near her's but Erin was brought back to what was happening. She turned her head at the last moment, making his lips touch the side of her head instead.

"I'm sorry, jI can't", She replied after she turned her head.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

She turned back to him, now that he was through with trying to kiss her. Hopefully.

"Mr. Dent, I don't know what exactly your true intentions are for taking me hostage but I'm afraid I have to decline your advances", Erin exclaimed.

Harvey or Two-Face didn't look upset by her decline but there was something about her decline that kept him interested, the glint in his left eye told her this. He let go of her and went back to the kitchen. Erin was sure if Joker saw him trying to kiss her, there sure would have been one hell of a mess to clean up afterwords. She did, however, feel bad about hurting his feelings. It wasn't his fault. She knew that and she wished she had been more polite. Although she scolded herself for almost letting him kiss her. Something about him..made her want to. And yet...she hated herself for feeling that way. Was she crazy?

Of course, of course she was. But it was because she away from the Joker. She wasn't thinking clearly. And she was a little...hurt too. Kissing Dent would be getting back at Joker for taking back what he had said to her. He told her to forget what he had said. How could she forget? But perhaps he had been too forward, just saying something because he had been in the moment. Saying _I love you, _making sure those were the last words she heard just in case the worst had happened. This confused her more. Kissing Dent would get her revenge and yet, in her book, it was wrong. Joker took back what he had said, even though they felt the same for each other. Did he or did not love her? Saving her meant that he did but he took back three words that meant more.

Erin stood by glass windows, over looking other buildings and the streets of Gotham. Her reflection looked foregin to her. Like someone she didn't recognize. She looked thinner than usual and her skin looked less colorful. And yet, she was the side kick companion to Gotham's most dangerous mad man. She was torn, deeply. She begged herself not to cry. Just the thought of spending anymore time from the Joker made her upset. Hadn't her one dream been to escape him and go back to her borning life? But that had been long ago, her boring life wasn't going to take her back, not now, not ever.

_"Why not stay here with Dent?" _a small voice in her head questioned.

"No. I couldn't. I can't leave the Joker. He's done too much for me", Erin muttered to herself, "...I love him"

Great. She was reduced to talking to herself. A single tear let it's self slip down her face and hit the carpet flooring. She raised her hand to her face and whiped her eye with the palm of her hand. She was just tired from not sleeping the last twenty four hours. She thought for a moment and then let a small smile spill across her face.

_"I wonder what my dear old clown is up to. Giving Gordon a hard time, I hope", _Erin thought.

She wasn't too far off either. About five minutes later, when Gordon, after sending several officers out to search for Dent, returned to check on the Joker. He found five of his men killed and the Joker gone.

- -

Joker had hidden in a laundry basket, making Gordon think he wasn't there. With the Commissioner off to put his officers to good use, Joker climbed out of the laundry basket and quietly went down the hallway to the elevator. He took the elevator straight down to the parking garage. Once in the garage, Joker took off at a run, slipping his purple coat on as he did so. He had re-dressed earlier while no one was looking. Upon leaving the hospital and escaping from being seen. He made his way into the center of Gotham. Using his known instincts, he knew his way around. Anyone who ran into him, would run in fear and terror.

Although, finding his _leading lady _would be harder than finding a needle in a haystack. Dent could have taken her anywhere. Joker seethed as his feet carried him. He was one made clown and an unhappy clown, was a dangerous clown. He was glad it was night, otherwise the Bat would get his hands on him before he had a chance to knock Dent's brains out. That was a promise. Joker turned his head upwards and looked up at the surrounding buildings. He turned his head towards the left and back to the right. Half the lights on this street were off. He turned up the next street, this one was hustling and bustling with late night shoppers and what not.

There were too many to really notice him, he'd slip in and slip out. Suddenly, as though a light bulb came on. He noticed one of the apartment buildings on his right. Up on the fifth floor in the upper left hand corner. He couldn't mistake her for anyone else. Bingo. Now to get in. This, however, was easier than going in the front door. There were many chances that there were security in the front lobby of hotels or apartment buildings, especially ritzy places like this. Joker slipped down the back alley and went in through the back door, which was considered a basement. There was an elevator down here, lucky for him.

He stepped into the elevator, "Going up", He chuckled and pushed the #5 button for the fifth floor. The elevator dinged moments later. Joker was getting a free-be because Batman and the Gotham police force or what was left of it, were searching for Dent. It would take hours for Gordon to reach all of his men and the Bat. This would give him plenty of time to take Erin back from Dent and make the ex-D.A. lawyer wish he was never born. Joker stepped off the elevator and looked down either side of the hallway. Now to find which door belonged to Harvey Dent.

- -

Erin had been staring down at the crowed below. They looked like a bunch of little ants. She turned away from the window and went to sit down. She sat down on the couch and just let her head lean back. She stared up at the white ceiling. Harvey came back over and set a plate down in front of her.

"Hope you like ceaser salad", He replied.

"It's fine", She said.

He turned away and looked over a second later. He saw that she was eating as if she hadn't eaten in days. He wasn't a cook, not much of one. He had gone to school to be a lawyer. But, when you're living on your own, you have to learn the basics of food. And ceaser salads were up there. His attention was distracted by a knock at the door and then laughter, positivily ear splitting laughter. Erin heard it too and set down her plate of half eaten salad.

"Knock-knock. Who's there?" Came the voice just behind the door.

The door burst open a second later and Joker walked in, a smile on his face and his hands in his pockets. He stood in the doorway.

"Tried every door but this one", Joker said and then became serious, "And I think you have something that belongs to me".

He took a step towards Harvey. Dent stood his ground and then he wasn't Dent anymore, he became Two-Face and his protectiveness of Erin, increased. He threw his hand into his coat pocket and took out his gun. The other hand held the two-sided coin.

"I think you need to leave", Two-Face snarled, "Now".

- -

**Author's Note: Hope this chapter was long enough. See people, this is what gets a story written! You are the readers, if you have an idea or what not, let me know. I don't want to blow this. It's going so good. THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS! READ AND REVIEW! **


	22. Burning Desires

Chapter Twenty-Three

"Knock-knock. Who's there?" Came the voice just behind the door.

The door burst open a second later and Joker walked in, a smile on his face and his hands in his pockets. He stood in the doorway.

"Tried every door but this one", Joker said and then became serious, "And I think you have something that belongs to me".

He took a step towards Harvey. Dent stood his ground and then he wasn't Dent anymore, he became Two-Face and his protectiveness of Erin, increased. He threw his hand into his coat pocket and took out his gun. The other hand held the two-sided coin.

"I think you need to leave", Two-Face snarled, "Now".

Joker held up his hands as though he were trying to calm him down. Although, calming down someone holding a loaded gun wasn't that easy.

"Can't we talk about this...whole mess?" Joker asked trying to sound reasonable and shaking his head side to side as he talked,

Without warning Two-Face flipped his coin, it landed scarred side up. He pulled the trigger on his gun and Joker fell backwards. Erin screamed and went to run over to him. Two-Face caught her before she could make her way past him. Joker lay with his head turned to one side. His arms limp at his side. Two-Face walked over and just kicked him in the ribs. Joker didn't move. Erin buried her face into Dent's chest, unable to look at the -Face knew Joker wasn't dead. He scowled at the clown but he couldn't let Erin know that Joker wasn't really dead.

"Come on", He replied urging her to move towards the door.

Erin walked in front of him as they left the apartment building. Joker got to his feet a moment later. He laughed to himself for the dramatic act. He was actually wearing a bullet proof vest that he had taken off one of the officers he had killed before escaping the hospital. Joker got up and walked over to the phone. He picked it up and dialed Gordon's cell phone number, which he had found out about using a call tracing trick. Never fails, especially if you don't get caught doing the picked up.

"Hello?" Gordon asked.

"We have a bit of a problem", Joker replied.

"How did you get this number?" Gordon asked outraged.

"That's not important, Commissioner", Joker said, laying it on pretty thick, "Your beloved Harvey Dent is in love with my girl Erin Knightly. And you see...I can't have that. I mean I'm enough for Erin, I'm crazier than a rubbix cube. And I can't have another man messing up my relationship with her. So, here's what's gonna happen, you and me are gonna find Dent. Meet me by where the police station used to be and come alone".

"And if I refuse?" Gordon asked feeling sick to his stomach.

"I strap a bomb to myself. And with one push of a button, I blow myself, Erin, Dent and half of Gotham to pieces. And everything is going to look like confetti. Do you really want that?" Joker asked.

"No. Fine, but I have one condition...", Gordon trailed off because the Joker was clearing his throat.

"No conditions. We play by my rules. You had your chance but it's my turn. Remember, meet me by the place where the police station used to be. You have an hour", Joker said softly and hung up.

- - -

Erin looked at Harvey as the car jolted across town. She was in the passenger seat this time. The image of the Joker laying on the floor like that still played in her mind. But as they drove she felt part of him still there with her. So he wasn't dead after all. She would have felt it if he had died. Her mind would be the first to go. Harvey was himself again, as he was driving more calmly. She had no idea where they were going, except all they were doing were driving around. Probably to confuse the hell out of the Joker and everyone else in Gotham. The lights of the city flashed within the car.

"Harvey...are you okay?" Erin asked quietly.

"I'm fine", He replied, he looked at her, "You don't have to worry".

Erin looked at him and then back out the window. _You don't have to worry. _Was he trying to get himself killed? She didn't want to see anyone else die because of her. Too many had died because of the mistakes she made. She hated herself in the worst way, not only did she end up in the worst situations, she tried to make the worst situation better but that didn't even work when she analyzed it. Harvey Dent was trying to protect her from the Joker or rather, Two-Face was trying to protect her. She got confused and was unable to distinguish who was which. Harvey seemed to have a compassionate side, while Two-Face flipped the coin and sealed the deal. He was like a vigilante lawyer or something.

Harvey turned to look at Erin. She seemed to be lost in her entangled thoughts. Her eyes seemed to speak for her. He couldn't tell what she was thinking, she seemed to have built a barrier only the Joker seemed know how to open. Keeping his left hand on the steering wheel, Harvey reached over and set his right hand on hers. He noticed out of the corner of his eye that she didn't pull away. He kept his eye on the road and then pulled over a minute later. Erin looked around to see where they had stopped. Another street with more houses. She turned to Harvey. He was staring down at the steering wheel as though in thought.

"Do you believe in an unbiased system?" He asked, breaking the silence.

"I guess..Harvey...I", Erin started to say but he held up a hand.

"I believe in chance. Unbiased. Unprejudiced. And fair", He held up his coin as he said this.

"Too many have died because of me. I don't want you to be a victim", Erin muttered.

"I told someone once that you either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain. We've died heroes Erin. Look where our heroics got us. I want to redeem myself by protecting you. People have died because of me too. We can survive if we stick together", He replied.

"You don't understand...the Joker...he...said _if you couldn't have me, then no one could_. You don't have any idea what he'd do to you to get to me. You have to let me go", Erin exclaimed.

Harvey was playing with the coin between his fingers, he gave her a smile that was slightly crooked because of his jaw on the left side of his face. On the left side of his face, there was no skin lined around his lips, just his gums.

"Let's see how your chances are", He murmured, "Heads you stay with me. Tails, I throw you back to the Joker".

He flipped the coin. It seemed to shimmer as it stopped and flipped in mid-air. Erin watched it fall back into his hand. He covered it with his fingers and the placed in back into his right palm. She couldn't see it, she looked at him. Dent lifted up his palm and grinned at her.

"Heads", He said and pocketed his coin.

Erin leaned back against her seat. She sighed deeply, he had sealed her fate, whether she liked or not. Begging him hadn't been the best route and now he wasn't letting her go. He was determined to right a wrong. He wasn't going to let her suffer the same fate that Rachel Dawes had.

_What have I done to deserve this? _

- - -

Gordon pulled up to the burnt down and shambled police station. The Joker was standing with this back turned. Surveying the scene. He turned slowly on his feet and faced Gordon. Gordon got out of his car and walked around the front of it. He had his hands in his pockets, acting casual. Joker didn't scare him like he scared everyone else. Joker just sickened him. Gordon wanted the clown locked away and the key destroyed. He didn't know what exactly had attracted Erin Knightly to the anarchist but Gordon was pretty sure it wasn't the make up.

"Alright, I'm here. What do you want?" Gordon asked.

"Dent has what I want. And you're going to help me get her back", Joker exclaimed.

The Joker was standing sideways, his hair falling into his face, his make up seemed almost ghost like. He didn't look human even though he was a man. A man that could not be stopped, reckoned with or bullied. He was the anarchist, he was something beyond crazy. His body was held in a upward position but he was leaning forward, slightly. He looked like he was about to fall was kicking the dirt that was on the ground with his shoe. His eyes on Gordon.

"Erin Knightly isn't yours", Gordon pointed out.

Joker stood up much straighter now. His eyes squinted slightly, his scars twitched as he moved his mouth, not opening it but making faces with it. He held up his right index finger.

"Ya see, that's where you're wrong. She does in fact belong to me. She and I share a simple understanding of each other. A bond if you will", Joker replied.

Gordon was pretty sure that the Joker was saying this was because the clown had actually grown attached to another human being. It couldn't be true because Joker cared only for himself. Somewhere along the way, Joker would get rid of Erin. Gordon was finding it difficult to tell whom the young woman was safe with the Joker or Harvey Dent. Harvey or rather Two-Face was less dangerous unless provoked. And Joker...he was just plain nuts.

- - -

Gotham Park seemed undisturbed and the lights from the park lamps made the park more...romantic, in a way. Erin had her arm hooked around Harvey's right arm. She had done it inspite of herself. The two seemed be the only ones around. Erin had asked to come to the park. Thinking it much better than driving in circles all night. Maybe walking would clear both their heads. Harvey seemed pleased by her decision, his other half seemed to give into the feelings he was having for her. Erin was too tired to really care what was going on in his mind. She just liked the fact she had the use of her legs and feet.

"You protested earlier about kissing me, yet you have your arm around mine", He replied.

"That's different", Erin said.

"How so?" Harvey asked.

"It's more casual", She exclaimed.

He noticed her voice was more calm, more gentle. She had acted nervous and afraid before. She seemed more relaxed now. He taken by the way her face was well rounded, the way her eyes look like ovals, with blue pools that seemed to glisten in the dark. Her hair seemed more beautiful. Her skin seemed to shine as her eyes did. Her lips were parted slightly in a thoughtful grace. The way she had leaned against him earlier, it made him feel warm and relaxed. Her eyes stared at him. He could see himself in their reflection. He stopped for a moment, with his left hand, he put his finger beneath her chin, holding it in his hand. Erin reached up and just clasped her hand over his left hand. He leaned forward and just ever so gently let his lips caress hers. After a moment, Two-Face's voice seemed to over take his own,

"I love you", He whispered, his lips a few inches from her own.

- - -

**Author's Note: Hope this doesn't make you want to puke. One of my readers wants Harvey do develope feelings for Erin and with he help of his second personality, Two-Face, that just might happen. Joker and Gordon are going to try to rescue her but we'll see what happens. Poor Erin. Poor Joker. Poor audience. READ AND REVIEW! **


	23. Three Can Play This Game

Chapter Twenty-Four

_His lips were so close to mine, so close I could just barely feel them with my own. But I didn't want him to do anything else. I just wanted him to stop. But at the same time, I wanted to him to do it. To see if we'd get caught. Our bodies were so close and his breath felt warm against my skin. So this is what temptation was. Temptation was Harvey Dent. He wanted to kiss me, longing for me to finally give in. My mind seemed to warp in and out, telling me it to do it, telling me not to do it and that it was wrong. Some place deep down, I felt my inner feminine side rush up and I that's when I was leaning against his body. The seductive prowess of a female was mystery to all and I knew how to use it very well. Joker would have Dent's head on a silver platter soon enough . Like the old saying goes: 'A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do'. _

Harvey felt her move in a little closer. How they could have gotten any closer then they already were, was unknown. Erin pressed her hands against his shoulders, she pressed her mouth against his neck, letting her lips just lightly touch his skin. Harvey put his arms around her, one hand was on the small of her back, the other hand was on her waist. After a few minutes of grazing each other over, their mouths seemed to meet. Dent knew she was like forbidden fruit but didn't taste sour nor bitter, she tasted something like a fresh apple. If they had been in the garden of Eden, he would have been thrown out the minute he let his lips lock with hers.

- -

Gordon was having a rough night and wished for all that it was worth that he hadn't answered his cell phone. Joker was in the driver's seat of the car and was driving like someone who had O.D. on sugar, if that was possible. Gordon was holding on tightly to the handle just above his seat. What had made tonight no better than any other, was the fact that he had let Joker break into a gun store and steal a rifle. The same kind that the Joker had gotten his hands on two years previously. Joker was like a blood hound, he seemed to be following Dent's scent in a obsessive fashion. What Joker didn't know was that he had gotten a hold of Bruce Wayne just after the Joker had called. Gordon told Bruce about Erin's abduction and that someone needed to let the Batman know, even though everyone in the city knew the Bat was on the run from the law.

As they passed the park, Joker stepped on the breaks, hard. Dent's car was parked near the entrance. The clown squeezed the steering wheel hard, his face seemed to be a mix of anguish and delight. Joker seemed to forget that the Commissioner wasn't with him and got out of the car. Joker thrust the back door open and grabbed the rifle. He slung the gun over his shoulder, holding the handle of it. Joker slammed the back door and started off into the park. Gordon watched the clown disappear into the park. He got out of the car and took out his cell phone. Joker seemed hellbent on finding Dent and killing him. He didn't have to search long. Just about thirty, maybe fifty yards away, there they were. Snuggling against each other, any other human being would have seen it that way. But not the Joker.

All he saw was Dent kissing Erin. Erin looked out of it, Joker didn't blame her for the most part. She'd been as good as her word, fighting for him and everything. She had even stood up against Batman. Joker had already loaded the bullets in the rifle. He pulled the trigger and the shots just started flying.

- - -

Harvey and Erin broke apart as a loud sound snapped them back to the real world. Bullets flew in different random directions. Erin jumped back with a loud scream. Two-Face took out his gun and had his finger on the trigger. Joker walked closer, still letting the bullets fly. He stopped for a moment, he didn't want to hurt Erin. He held the rifle in one hand. With the other, he pointed a finger at Erin.

"You come here", Joker snapped, he pointed the same finger at Dent, "You...you stay right there".

Erin did as he said. She felt a small pain in her chest. Her hands shook as she walked towards the Joker. He held out his hand to her and she smiled as he did so. He wanted her, he really did. But their reunion was short lived. A figure swooped down and grabbed Erin. Joker fumed, as did Two-Face. Neither dared to shoot at the bat, in case they hit Erin. Batman, with Erin in his arms, dropped down on the other side of the fence, landing on the sidewalk. The Bat-pod was waiting for them. Blue and red lights were heading their way. Erin struggled to get away from him but he kept a good hold on her as he got onto the Bat-pod.

"Hold on", He replied.

The Bat-pod started up like a motorcycle would but it sounder louder. Erin held onto him as hard as she could. She was a bit annoyed that he had rescued her, why would he do such things? Sure it was his job to help people when they needed it, but she didn't need rescuing. When the police finally searched the park, Dent and the Joker had taken off. Gordon cursed under his breath. The Joker could be anywhere but as Gordon went back to his car, Dent was waiting for him and he looked none too happy.

"I have a proposition for you", Two-Face said.

"I'm listening", Gordon replied.

He still had respect for the man even though he had threatened his family. But Gordon would much rather have Dent around than the Joker.

- - -

Erin turned to Bruce as he slipped off the mask. They were in a pent house, obviously it belong to Bruce. Alfred was waiting for them. Alfred looked a little weariy about using the pent house again. But Bruce seemed fine by it. Erin turned to Bruce, feeling a little less than nice for his heroic behavior.

"What was that for?" Erin asked.

"I just saved your life, you could be a little greatful", Brue responded.

"A little grateful? YOU SENT ME TO ARKHAM! And I'm suppsed to be GREATFUL?" She asked or rather yelled.

She went to hit Bruce but he caught both her wrists. Instead of glaring at her and keeping his emotions held back, he just smirked. Her mouth dropped when she saw that smug smile on his face. She was even more angry with him.

"Let me go", Erin snapped.

"Promise not to hit me?" He asked, chuckling a little.

"Can't keep promises I don't make", She muttered.

He released her after a few minutes. She didn't try to hit him, instead she folded her arms across her chest and walked away from him. Bruce sighed and turned to Alfred, who was patiently observing Bruce and Erin's behavior.

"Something on your mind Alfred?" Bruce asked.

"Nothing of importance sir", Alfred replied.

Bruce raised an eyebrow at his faithful butler. He then walked over to Erin, who was staring out the window. He put a hand on her shoulder but she shrugged it off.

"You shouldn't have gotten involved", Erin replied quietly.

"I make it my business to get involved", Bruce exclaimed.

She turned to look at him. He looked like someone who kept his promises and almost died because he couldn't break any of them. His brow eyes seemed to hold every memory he'd ever had and then she though she saw one waving back at her. As he stared at her, he was remembering the first time they had ever met. The morning her life changed forever, for the second time anyway.

"You still holding on to that?" She asked.

"Onto what?" He asked back.

"When we met in the parking garage that day you asked me out", Erin replied.

"Keeps me going", Bruce muttered.

_Oh no, not another one. This night could get worse, if that was possible. _

**Author's Note: Okay, one I'm sorry. I went back and finished this chapter. I thought I left it a little short. So if you got Ch. 24 the first time and it says: Read and Review. Sorry for the shortness. Then delete it. I'm sorry for any mix up's. READ AND REVIEW! **


	24. Reunited

Chapter Twenty-Five 

He was beyond furious.

The garish red painted smile was twisted and the eyes behind the make up were filled with more than most were capable of. Although it was hard at times to know what he was truly feeling, emotions weren't his forte but he wasn't stupid to know which ones started up because his buttons were pushed too far. He would make this city burn if that's what it would take. He'd make them all suffer and then and only then would they let him have Erin back. But he didn't feel like waiting that long. And he knew she wasn't going to be that patient either. He could almost hear her voice calling out to him. If there was one thing truthful about the Joker, it was his word. He had promised her he wasn't going to let anyone hurt her. Ever.

He didn't come this far to give up now but Erin was as human as he was, she was as vulnerable as a bananna without it's peel. But his hold on her was tough as a rock. She still wanted him, even after Batman and Dent had made their interests known. She wanted nothing from them. Joker certainly would love to throw that in their faces, _the only kind of man Erin Knightly is interested in is a man with access to cheap explosives and a sense of humor. _Joker laughed to himself as he thought about it. He had taken one of Gotham's everyday citizens and brought her down to his level. _And all she needed was a little...push. _It didn't take much to make her understand, to make her believe what he did. Her heart had been in the right place, she'd been loyal from the start. Joker cackled at the thought of an outraged Erin driving helpless Rachel Dawes to her doom, all because of him. He stopped where he was after second. The rifle was still clutched in his left hand. Someone was running towards him. A very beautiful someone. Joker started walking rather at a slow pace. It was Erin.

Erin stopped at a short distance away from where the Joker was standing. She put her hands on her knees, taking deep breathes. Her throat was filled with cold air and she coughed after a few minutes. She had never run that far or that fast before.

_I had to get away. Had to take my chances. I apologized for what I was about to do next. I had to do it. "I'm sorry Bruce", I said softly. He had just looked at me and then I did it. I gave him a blow to the stomach and ran. My heart raced as I did. I never looked back, all I could think about was finding the Joker. Bruce's heart had been in the right place but he couldn't help me. I had ran two streets and was rounding on the third. I had to stop and take a breath. _

Erin stood back up after a moment or two. She saw him standing just a few feet from her. Erin walked over to him. After a few seconds, Joker and Erin embraced. She felt his arm wrap about her waist, felt his breath on her forehead. She felt somewhere between relaxed and still a little on edge. She didn't know if he was angry with her. Seeing her with Harvey. But he seemed fine. He said nothing to her as they stood in the middle of the sidewalk. Erin pressed her face against the Joker's chest. _"You're not dead. I'm so glad you're not dead", _She thought as her fingers grasped the front of his jacket. Her thoughts spilled out into tears, wetting the front of his green vest.

"There. There. Everything's going to be alright", Joker reassured her.

"It's just...I thought h..he sh..shot you", Erin said through gasps of sobs.

"I want to let you in on a little secret. Look..Look at me", Joker replied cupping her chin with his hand, "I'm destined to be around forever. Ya see...I can kill as many people as I want and Batman will just keep locking me up for it. He won't kill me for the same reason I won't kill him. We complete each other. But I need you. And do you know why that is?", he paused dramatically but continued when she didn't answer, "Because I believe in you". After a second or so, he let his lips just trickle across hers, kissing her lightly.

- - -

Bruce sat up after what seemed forever, he was sitting in one of the empty chairs that occupied the room. Alfred was standing was standing beside him. Bruce felt a wave of nausea but it passed. There was also a pain in his abdomen that throbbed like hell.

"How are you feeling sir?" Alfred asked.

"I feel like someone popped me one Alfred, what happened?" Bruce asked.

"Ms. Knightly punched you in the stomach, sir. She took off", Alfred replied.

Bruce got to his feet, "Why didn't you stop her?"

"I do believe a woman with her expertise would never hit the butler, so I didn't try to", Alfred exclaimed smiling.

Bruce frowned slightly, he was pretty sure the only reason she had hit him was because of the night she had just been through. He was also pretty sure her other reason for giving him her right hand hook was because she had found out he was still thinking about of her. Bruce wouldn't hold any injuries he received from her against her. She was just protecting herself. Bruce, still wearing the bat-suit, picked up his mask.

"What are you planning to do now?" Alfred asked.

"I'm going to find a away to stop this", Bruce replied and slipped his mask back on.

- - -

Harvey's eyes narrowed as he stared out at the road. His fingers were tight around the steering wheel. He reached down and turned on the radio. He didn't much like listening to it but maybe there would be some signs of the Joker. The transmission of the radio crackled and then high pitched laughter over powered the crackling noises and then the audio was much better. Harvey bit his lower lip, seething with hate for the clown.

"Good..evening...Gotham!", Joker exclaimed happily over the radio.

"He's at the radio station", Harvey muttered to himself switching off the radio.

Harvey pulled a 'U' turn in the middle of the street and turned his car in the opposite direction. He reached the Gotham Radio station tower within fifteen minutes. Harvey stepped out of his car, the front door was open. He took out his and held it with both hands. The lights were on too. Harvey took the stairs to the second floor. The handle on the door, to his far left, was rattling. It was locked from the outside. Harvey took his gun in one hand and unlocked the door. He kicked it open. Erin was standing there, mouth duct tapped and hands bound together. Harvey put his gun away and pulled the duct tape off her mouth. He then untied her hands.

"Oh Harvey, I knew you'd come to save me", She replied and then a wicked grin spread across her face.

Harvey just looked at her for a moment, Joker appeared behind him and knocked him in the head with the fire extinguisher. Harvey fell over and lay knocked out on the floor.

"I knew the white knight couldn't resist saving you", Joker exclaimed looking from Harvey to Erin.

Erin just smiled. She took Harvey's gun from his jacket, handing it to the Joker. She then tied both his hands and placed a fresh piece of duct tape over her mouth. The room they were standing in was a utility closet. Full of minor items you can get at a hardware store. Erin, following the Joker, dragged Harvey down the hallway into the broadcasting room. Erin set Harvey up against the wall. Joker was sitting on top of a wooden desk, the microphone to the radio sat beside him. Erin walked over and set her arms on top of his legs.

"What's next?" Erin asked.

"We wait for the Batman", Joker exclaimed, his lips smacking as he smiled.

- - -

**Author's Note: UPDATED! YA! LOOK AT THOSE REVIEWS! YOU GUYS ROCK OUT LOUD! READ & REVIEW!**


	25. Ready Set GO

Chapter Twenty-Six

**Ready, Set, GO! **

Gordon was worried. He had listened to the radio and he was sure there would be panic among the masses. Joker hadn't threatened any one person and hadn't threatened to destroy any buildings. He just merely set the stage for a showdown with the Dark Knight. Asking for the bat to step forward. The panic would undoubtably be: what if the bat didn't meet the Joker's demand? There was a lot of cocern and worry in that department. Joker was tempermental, if Batman didn't show, Joker would start some fireworks. Although, that could go the other way, if Batman didn't show, Joker would merely wait it out. Gordon hoped it would the latter.

The Commissioner got into his car, it was a brave move on his part, he was going to go down to the Gotham Radio Station. As he drove, Gordon thought about Dent's proposition. If Dent could hand over the Joker to the police, Gordon promised to Dent that he would let him take Erin into safe hiding, something that was safe for everyone. As Gordon pulled up to the radio station, he noticed Dent's car parked in one of the empty spaces. The Bat pod pulled up a minute later. Gordon got out of his car as Batman stepped off the cycle.

"That was quick", Gordon replied shutting the driver's side door.

"I put a tracer on Dent's car", Batman exclaimed, "You'd better stay here Commissioner".

"Shall I call in the calvary?" Gordon asked.

But Batman didn't answer him. He made his way into the building. The main floor was slightly dark, the lights above were on. As he made his way up the stairs leading to the second floor, it seemed utterly quiet. But doors along the hallway and up ahead were all slightly ajar. None of the lights in the rooms were on. Batman turned down the next hallway, the light was on in the room at the far end. Batman made his way carefully down the hallway and threw open the door. Joker was lounging on the wooden desk, one leg crossed over the other. Joker just sat there, his fingers grasping the edge of the table. His eyes were staring upward and then he settled her gaze on him. He smiled mockingly at him. As though she knew something he didn't.

Batman furrowed his brow, Joker was making this too easy. Something about this wasn't right. The rifle Joker had stolen was laying just behind him on the table. There was definitely something not right about this. Joker called him here for a reason but of course, was there any reason? Nothing logical in this case. Joker did whatever insane thought came into his head.

"You called me here. Now what is it you want?" Batman asked gruffly.

Joker pressed his lips together and opened the inside of his coat. He took out what looked like a tennis ball but it was white with two black circles and a red grin.

"This is just a sample of what I put around this entire building. It's set to go off tonight at midnight. I rigged these and those other ones, the night after I escaped. Funny thing about duct tape and explosives, they go well together. And they're cheap. Now, in this building is a metal box where you will find the wires that will turn them off, actually if you cut the wrong one this whole place will explode, along with half of Gotham. The other two wires, one is fake and the other turns off the bombs. Here's the catch, my leading lady and Harvey Dent, they've volunteered themselves for this little game. They're in this building but only I know where they are. You have to choose, look for the metal box or look for them", Joker exclaimed.

He put the painted ball back into his jacket and hopped down from the table. Bruce felt a chill down his spine. It was two years ago all over again. The horror that kept playing over and over in his mind. He had played out the senrio time and time again, in his mind, he had saved both of them. In his mind Rachel was still alive but it was just in his mind. This was reality. Dent and Erin were in trouble. Batman turned, not waiting for the Joker to say anything else, which he didn't. Joker watched as the Bat walked hurridly down the hallway. Joker grinned and headed up to the third floor.

- -

Erin opened her eyes, she felt a wave of pain in her back, as though she had gotten the wind knocked out of her. Harvey was sitting up and he was fully awake now. He looked over at her. She was lying on her side. The duct tape over his mouth had been removed. She tried to sit up but it was use.

"Harvey, are you okay?" She asked quietly.

"I'm fine. Are you okay?" He asked.

"I think so", She muttered.

Harvey noticed the look in her eyes, how shocked she was. He was less upset with her for tricking him earlier. He stopped being upset with her, this wasn't her fault. But he wasn't going to make the same mistake he had two years ago. He had lied to Rachel and told her everything was going to be alright. He couldn't do that again.

"Erin, listen to me. I want you to know that...", Harvey stopped, _that what? Everything was going to be alright?, _"I want you to know that I love you". _Great Harvey, nice one. _

"Harvey don't....Harvey", Erin exclaimed and then burst into tears.

Harvey sighed deeply. Thinking their present situation, he noticed a rough looking piece of wood that sticking out in the closest they were presently inhabiting. Harvey got to his feet and walked over. He rubbed the twine against the wood and got his hands free. Harvey tossed the rope aside. He went over and knelt down beside her.

"He...said...so...many... things. I d-did-didn't...know...he'd...", Her words became muffled as she pressed her face against Harvey's chest.

Harvey untied her hands, which she flung admidiately around his neck.

_"She had put so much of a brave front on for everyone. Now she knows what a broken heart is. I hate him for doing this to her. Her volunerablity, her innocence, her strength, all weakened because he pushed her. I can't let her die like Rachel did", _Harvey thought to himself as he held her.

- - -

Batman checked everyroom on the second level, there was no metal box, no Erin or Harvey. He turned around and found the stairs leading up to a third level. Outside, police cruisers and ambulence buses were parked outside. Detective Rameriaz stood beside Gordon, who had remained calm since Batman had gone into the building.

"Can we really trust him Jim?" She asked.

"We're going to have to if we want to survive this one", Gordon replied.

- - -

**Author's Note: More to come. Read and Review! **


	26. Final Hour

Chapter Twenty-Seven

**Final Hour **

The third floor of the radio station wasn't as brightly lit as the second floor but just as brightly lit as the first. There were only four floors to this building. The fourth floor was being renovated. Batman checked each other rooms on this floor, switching on all the lights. The metal box he was looking for, he found sitting in the middle of one of the many tables. The top of the metal box was open. Numbers on the screen were counting down much like a clock: 3:23:09. Three..no make that almost two hours to midnight. Great. He had spent the better half of an hour looking for the damn thing. Batman cursed under his breath. He stared down One wire was fake, one wire would stop the bombs and the other would set them off faster. With each moment he stared at, the clock ticked down. 3:20:57. Unknown to Bruce, Dent and Erin were two hallways down from where he stood.

- -

Erin allowed Harvey to pull her to her feet. She had stopped sobbing some time ago but the pain of being betrayed still hurt. It hurt so greatly, that a blow to the jaw wouldn't hurt as much. She found that she was still clutching Harvey as they stood together. A moment later, the door to the closet was flung open. Joker appeared in the door way, holding the rifle in both hands, along with the rifle, he was holding his switch blade. He was licking his lips happily.

"Alright, let's get this show on the road", He replied.

"Let's", Harvey exclaimed, letting go of Erin.

He went back into Two-Face mode and punched Joker right in the face. The clown staggered backwards but just laughed, he was still standing. Two-Face punched him again, this time knocking Joker over. The rifle and switch blade dropped from his grip. Two-Face knelt down and fished his gun from Joker's coat pocket. Erin took his arm and the two scrambled by the Joker, who got to his feet a second later. He picked up the knife and gun and went after them. The fourth floor was just ply wood cement. Erin and Dent ducked into a room on their left, two glass windows had been put in but other than that, the room was bare. Dent shut the door and motioned Erin to step back.

"Where did they go?" Joker asked to no one in particular.

Unfortunately, their hiding place wasn't a secret for very long. Erin was staring at the floor and a mouse happened to run across the floor where she was standing. Erin gave a loud scream of terror and Joker pinpointed as to where they were. He burst open the door a moment later. Dent raised his gun at the Joker. But the Joker merely stood there.

"Now, how about a little cooperation", Joker said raising the rifle.

- -

Batman had cut the white wire first. It had done nothing. So the white wire had been fake. Which left the red wire and yellow wire. One of those concealed Gotham's fate and their own. He still hadn't found Erin or Harvey. 3:07:45. Time was of the essence. He had shut down the clock. He went for it, if this didn't work, they were all lost. He cut the yellow wire, the clock stopped and then turned off. Batman turned from the metal box and went down the hallway. There was no time to alert Gordon about the bombs and about the clock turning off. Joker needed to be stopped. Here and now.

- -

Dent kept his gun aimed at the Joker. He wasn't going to let the clown win, not this time around. Joker tossed the rifle aside, he hated using guns and it wasn't needed anymore. He came at Two-Face with the switch blade, catching him off guard. Joker kicked Dent in the stomach, making him drop his gun. Joker kicked him again, Dent fell over onto his side. Joker slipped his knife back into his pocket. He turned to Erin. At this moment, she was feeling his betrayal slip away almost at once. The pain she had felt, thinking he had left her for dead was slowly burning.

_I may have thought he had betrayed me but what gave me that impression? I was always in danger if he decided to turn his back on me. He hadn't done that at all. Of all the times I thought he had left me, he always turned up to redeem himself and held me in his arms. I wanted to hate him but I always ended up finding myself more attracted to him, more of everything towards him. Where was that hate I used to have? Where were those times when I just wanted to sleep and not think about him? I think this is the first time my sanity might have finally broken. _

The red and blue lights from the police cars flashed through the windows just behind them. Joker walked over to Erin, when they were about a few inches from each other, Erin threw her arms around him. Letting her face rest against his chest. Joker wrapped his arms around her, he would never put her in danger, he had actually put her out of harms way. If he had died, the last thing he would've like to have seen was her face. It was personal, yes, but seeing her face before he bit the bucket would remind him that he did his job. He had brought her down to his level and she would stay that way forever or at the very least for months, until she was sane again.

"There's something you should know, I lie, a lot", Joker replied, he ripped her hands from him and held them in his own, "But I'm as good as my word. I would never betray you. Everything I've told you, everything I've ever said is half a lie. But I uh..I want you to know what I said the other day, that was true. I said those things because I didn't want you to worry. But what I said, that was true".

"You...mean..", Erin felt her voice tremble.

"But let's keep that between us", Joker said in a whisper, cutting her off.

He leaned in and pressed his mouth against hers. The two kissed deeply and passionately. Dent got up a moment later. He staggered a bit as he walked over and picked up his gun. He raised his gun to Joker's back. Joker and Erin broke apart at that second. Joker turned to face him. At that moment, Batman came into the room, having looked everywhere else first.

"Harvey stop", Batman replied.

"Stay out of this", Dent exclaimed without looking over his shoulder.

"Harvey, give me the gun", Batman said.

He grabbed Dent and tried to get the gun from him. As many time as he kicked the Bat, Dent knew the Bat wasn't down that easily. He kept the gun out of his reach, finger still pressed against the trigger. Then something happened within the next few seconds. The gun went off, breaking on of the windows. Erin, who had backed up to the widows, screamed and fell backwards through it.

_"Why aren't I dead", _She thought to herself.

Erin opened her eyes and looked up. Joker had thrown himself against the edge of the window and had grabbed both of his wrists. She stared up into his eyes. The air whistled in her ear and everyone below were screaming. Gordon yelled for someone to call for the fire department so they could get a ladder. But both Erin and Joker were oblivious to this.

"Ya know, if you go, I'm goin' with ya", Joker replied chuckling a little, "Just keep your eyes on me and don't look down".

Erin nodded, feeling scared for the first time in her life. Joker seemed calm, too calm.

"Would you like to know how I got these scars?" Joker asked.

Behind them, Dent had beaten Batman off of him. He walked over and stood over the Joker. Batman got to his feet a second later.

"Harvey, you don't want to do that!", Batman shouted.

Erin looked up to see Dent standing over Joker.

"Look out!", She screamed.

Joker let his shoes slip off his feet and he and Erin went flying out the window. Joker grabbed hold of Erin's waist, hugging her tightly. Harvey pulled the triger of his gun but it missed the Joker by inches. Batman turned and ran out of the room and out of the building. Harvey followed, cursing himself.

- -

**Author's Note: UPDATED! READ AND REVIEW! **


	27. And There We Go

Chapter Twenty-Eight

**And There We GO!  
**

_For the second time in my life I had thought I had died but you never really feel pain do you? I did. In my side, like I had pulled a muscle or something. I knew I was either dead or I had broken something. I heard voices but they were all mixed together and I wished the ringing in my ears would stop. My heart thudded against my chest; I could still feel my pulse bobbing around. I don't remember shutting my eyes but they were closed. As I tried to open them, they felt like they do when you try to wake up in the morning but you know it's too early to wake up. I felt around a little bit trying to make out what I had landed on. It was something soft...something...I know that touch._

Erin opened her eyes slowly, the cold air seemed to sting them but it passed within a few seconds. She had been resting against Joker's chest. She rolled off of him and sat up on her knees. He just laid there, his face facing the dark sky. His body unmoving. Erin began to shake, her whole body seemed to quiver and her mouth became very dry. There was no blood, so that had to be a good sign, right? She inhaled and started trying to find his pulse. There had to be one. There just had to be one.

"Please, oh god, please", She muttered.

The whole thing replayed in her mind. Falling through the window, Joker catching her, her screaming and then the long fall to the ground. Erin tried to keep her mind stable. She tried not to think about anything. She finally got his pulse but it was faint. She tried to suppress a smile but her smile was just as weak as his pulse. She leaned towards him, until they were nose to nose. She didn't know if any knew if they were there or not and she didn't care. Of all the crying she had done, her eyes were able to squeeze out some more tears. Her voice quaked and it was rather horse, but she did her best.

"Pleas don't go. Don't go where I can't. You don't understand, you really don't. There were a lot of times that I wanted to forget about you. I just wanted the pain and hurt to go away. But I only wanted it go away because I realized that I...that I loved you. As crazy as this must sound, I need you. I know what you said before, about lying, well...I don't care! And let me explain something...we're all human. Even you. That night we made love in the alleyway....you showed me that. You showed me that we all have cracks in us. And that...that you can peel away those cracks and show us who we really are. I know you mean not to care, I know I might not fully understand but what I do know is that you showed your true self all those times you came to my aid. And you didn't have to. You just did! So please...please...please don't...please don't go!" Erin muttered through silent sobs.

All at once she broke down and cried. Letting her face be comsumed by fresh tears. She laid her head on his chest and just let herself cry. Unknown to her, the dark brown eyes behind the make-up opened. Watching her lay across him. He smacked his lips silently.

"You're sitting on left arm", He exclaimed.

Erin lifted her head up and wiped her face and eyes with the back of her hand. Joker lay there staring at her. She hadn't noticed that he been leaning on anything but she moved all the same. She stood up, waiting for him to do the same. Joker got to his feet slowly but surely. He straightened himself a little but didn't really mind being too dirty. He turned to Erin after a second or so. Erin let herself go to him. She rested her forehead against his shoulder. Joker amusedly played with on one of her dark red curls that hung by her ear.

"I heard what you said", He replied after a moment or so.

"And I meant every word of it", was her response.

Foot steps just behind them, told them that Gordon and the others knew they were there. Joker was hand cuffed a minute later. Before letting the cops took him away, he pressed his lips against Erin's.

"This isn't a good bye", Joker whispered after they broke apart.

Erin watched as the police took him away. Leaving her to stand beside Commissioner Gordon. Erin was confused as to why they weren't taking her away in hand cuffs. She turned to Gordon.

"Aren't I going with him?" Erin asked.

"I'm sorry Ms. Knightly but that the Joker is too dangerous. You don't belong in Arkham anyway", Gordon replied.

"But I-", Erin started to say but trailed off as Batman and Dent walked over.

Dent was acting casual and Batman was cloaked against the dark sky.

"Joker isn't getting out any time soon but it's better to be safe than sorry", Batman replied gruffly.

Erin turned to Harvey, who gave her a small smile. She knew the three of them were up to something and she didn't know if she liked it or not. She had just reunited with the Joker, only to loose him again, a second time. But the fact that she had some-what warmed up to Harvey, made her feel a little better.

"I'm guessing you three cooked up something?" Erin asked raising an eyebrow and crossing her arms.

"Why don't we take a walk", Harvey replied, offering her his arm.

Erin took his arm. It was time to face reality. She was on Joker's "interest" list and to everyone else, that's not good. But it was breaking her heart, all that time spent with the clown and she was hurt to find out that she wasn't allowed to serve time in Arkham. With Erin and Harvey at a distance out of ear-shot, Batman turned to Gordon.

"You and I know Joker won't stay in Arkham. What do you have in mind for Erin?" Batman asked.

"Harvey wants to take Erin into hiding, keep her safe until we can find a way to keep Joker behind bars", Gordon said.

"I don't think that's such a good idea. She needs help", Batman exclaimed, "Joker was psychological. He had a profound effect on her".

Gordon shook his head. The Bat took off as Erin and Harvey came back.

_The look on Gordon's told me a great deal. Something Batman must have said was working on his brain. It was either good news or bad news. Either way, I probably wasn't going to like gave Harvey the okay to go ahead with the plan that they had discussed earlier, the Commissioner knew Batman was right but for right now, they needed to bind their time. An hour or so later, I found my self laying on Dent's couch. The sky was showing it's first sign of light. Darkness before the dawn I suppose. _

_- - _

The metal police truck was tipped on it's side when the police arrived at the crash site. All four police officers were dead and the Joker was gone. In the crowd of on-lookers, Edward Nygma clutched his thirty paged puzzle book and his cup of black decaf. He'd been walking back from the Dunkin Doughnuts that opened at midnight. His ginger redish-brown hair hung loosly in his face. He was a skinny, thin man, standing at 5'7" or so. He had ember brown eyes. Edward was clad in a light green collard shirt, a dark green vest and a pine green coat. A dark purple tie and dark green slacks. His shoes were black and a-top his head was a green bowler hat with a dark purple band.

Edward craned his neck over a couple people's shoulders to get a look at the accident. He was pushed aside and not seen by any one else. Not that he cared. He was an upstanding citizen, if anyone cared to know. He recyled, walked everywhere, ate out once a week, stayed home during rough weather, had a decent apartment, worked for minium wage at a book store and he liked riddles. He been good at riddles since he was younger. But he was a brown mouse in everyone's eyes. Nobody paid much attention to him. Though, he liked it that way. Being the back ground had it's advantages.

Edward turned on his heel and decided to head home. As he walked, he thought to himself, talking in an under tone so nobody thought he was crazy. "I wonder...who is the Joker?" He asked himself. He had read about the clown in the newspaper. And speaking of the newspaper, he knew by the time he got home, there would be fresh copies in the bin just outside his apartment building. His apartment building was a brick building with ivy decending on the bricks, almost covering it. This building had been here since before he was born but the inside had been re-done to look spectacular. Edward fished a quarter from his pants pocket and put it into the newspaper bin. Edward went into the building, the paper under his arm, he took the stairs three flights up and went to the end of the hallway.

After unlocking the door, Edward went in and shut the door behind him, locking it from the inside. He set down his puzzle book on the nook counter and sat down with his coffee and the newspaper. His brown eyes feel on the front page. It was a picture of a redheaded woman with blue eyes. The other photos were of the Joker and Harvey Dent. Dent's death was being looked into. Joker was ''supposedly" taken back to Arkham. Edward scanned the article looking for the young woman's name. He found it half down the page. Her name was Erin Knightly.

"Erin Knightly...Erin Knightly..", Edward muttered to himself.

He got up and dashed to his bed room and dug out a box. He had kept only one of his high school year books, his senior year book. He flipped through it until he found his class. He went the 'K's' and found her picture. The black and white photo showed Erin smiling with her head tilted. A small heart had been scribbled next to her picture. Edward remembered doing it himself while sitting in the library. His mouth went set the book down and went back into the other room. He picked up the phone. He had to find her. His heart almost doubled over from excitment as he dialed 911.

**TO BE CONTINUED.....**

**Sequel To: Love and Chaos Knows No Bonderies - Coming Soon ! **

**Author's Note: I really, really, really, really, hope you've enjoyed this. There is going to be a sequel and I really hope everyone doesn't mind what I have planned. I'm going to wait until after the holidays to start the sequel. So please READ, REVIEW & HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR!  
**


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